From August 14 to 21, Sarajevo will host the 32nd edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), one of the most important film events in Southeast Europe.
Every year, the festival gathers thousands of guests from the international film industry and tens of thousands of visitors, and numerous institutions, public companies and services of the Canton of Sarajevo are involved in its organization.
Increased security and organization measures
The organization is supported by the line ministries of the Sarajevo Canton, municipalities, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Canton Sarajevo, the Tourist Board of the KS, the Professional Fire Brigade of the KS, public utility companies, the Institute for Emergency Medical Assistance of the KS, Elektroprivreda BiH and other institutions.
The MUP of Sarajevo Canton announced that a sufficient number of police officers will be engaged during the Festival to secure all festival events through operational, physical, counter-diversion and traffic measures.
Citizens will be informed in a timely manner about possible changes to the traffic regime, extended working hours of catering facilities and other organizational information.
No fireworks, increased communal activities
During the Festival, the working hours of catering facilities will be extended in accordance with legal regulations, while inspections and utility companies will intensify their activities on maintaining cleanliness and arranging public areas.
Fireworks will not be organized this year either, and the KS Professional Fire Brigade appealed to other event organizers to avoid their use due to the increased risk of fire.
The festival contributes to the growth of tourism
Year after year, the Sarajevo Film Festival confirms its importance not only as a cultural event, but also as one of the most important tourist events in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to the data of the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board, during SFF 2025 there were 41,980 arrivals and 86,655 overnight stays, which represents a 5.5 percent increase in the number of arrivals and four percent in the number of overnight stays compared to the previous year.
Most guests come from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Great Britain, Montenegro, Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden and Turkey.
Sarajevo Canton currently has 18,603 beds and 8,061 accommodation units, which is sufficient for the expected number of festival guests.
Rich film program and distinguished guests
This year’s Festival will be opened by the film “Fatherland” directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, while the Competition Program for Feature Film will present nine new regional productions, six of which are directed by female directors.
In the documentary film competition, 22 productions will be shown, including world and regional premieres.
The honorary Heart of Sarajevo will be awarded to Iranian Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi, to whom a film retrospective will be dedicated, while the jury of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival will be chaired by British actress Emily Watson.
The organizers expect that this August, with film premieres, international guests and a rich accompanying program, Sarajevo will once again confirm its status as a regional center of culture, art and creative industry and additionally promote Bosnia and Herzegovina as an attractive tourist destination.
