Masterclass Programme of the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival

This year, the Sarajevo Film Festival’s Masterclass programme offers an exceptional opportunity to gain insights from experienced film professionals on film production, directing, screenwriting, acting, and other vital elements of the film industry.

 

Interaction with these professionals allows creatives and film enthusiasts to delve deeper into the filmmaking process and enhance their skills in the art of cinema. The Masterclass series will be held from August 17th to 21st, with sessions taking place at the Festival Center (Bosnian Cultural Center, Branilaca Sarajeva 24) according to the following schedule:

 

August 17th, 10:00 – 11:30 – Cord Jefferson  

August 18th, 10:00 – 11:30 – Alexander Payne  

August 19th, 10:00 – 11:30 – Elia Suleiman  

August 20th, 10:00 – 11:30 – Meg Ryan  

August 21st, 10:00 – 11:30 – John Turturro

 

Entry to the Masterclass sessions is free, with tickets available online at tickets.sff.ba or at the Main Box Office of the Sarajevo Film Festival (Bosnian Cultural Center, Branilaca Sarajeva 24). Tickets for the Masterclass sessions are already available and must be collected half an hour before the start of the session. The number of tickets is limited.

 

Cord Jefferson is an award-winning screenwriter and director, an Oscar and Emmy winner. His film AMERICAN FICTION won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar and won five nominations, including Best Picture in 2024. He has also won Critics Choice, BAFTA, and Film Independent Spirit Awards. Jefferson is currently working on adapting the novel JUST CAUSE for Amazon Prime Video with John Wells and Scarlett Johansson. He won an Emmy for the series WATCHMEN and a Writers Guild Award for the series THE GOOD PLACE. His work also includes series such as STATION ELEVEN, MASTER OF NONE, THE NIGHTLY SHOW, and SURVIVOR'S REMORSE. Before television, he was a journalist for media outlets like The New York Times, NPR, and The Daily Beast.

 

Ennis Ćehić will moderate the Masterclass.

 

Alexander Payne grew up in Nebraska, USA, and was the grandson of Greek immigrants. He studied history and Spanish literature at Stanford University before earning a master’s degree in film directing at UCLA. His eight feature films have received 24 Oscar nominations, including four for Best Picture and three for Best Director. He won Oscars twice for Best Adapted Screenplay for SIDEWAYS and THE DESCENDANTS, and his latest film, THE HOLDOVERS, won Best Supporting Actress this year. Most importantly, he previously showcased two films at the Sarajevo Film Festival and is thrilled and honored to return.

 

Ennis Ćehić will moderate the Masterclass.

 

Elia Suleiman, born in 1960 in Nazareth, occupied Palestine, lived in New York from 1981 to 1993, where he directed his first short films and won numerous awards. In 1994, he moved to Jerusalem, where he founded the Film and Media Department at Birzeit University. His first feature film, CHRONICLE OF A DISAPPEARANCE, won an award at the Venice Film Festival in 1996. His film DIVINE INTERVENTION from 2002 won awards at the Cannes Film Festival, while his 2009 film THE TIME THAT REMAINS competed in the same festival. In 2012, he made the short film DIARY OF A BEGINNER, and his latest feature film, IT MUST BE HEAVEN, won accolades at Cannes in 2019. Suleiman has been a jury member at significant festivals and has received many awards, including the Prince Claus Award. He is currently an artistic advisor for the Doha Film Institute.

 

Nebojša Jovanović will moderate the Masterclass.

 

Meg Ryan, known for her comedic charm, gained fame as Sally Albright in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. She starred in the romantic comedy SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE with Tom Hanks, earning her second nomination. Their last project together, YOU'VE GOT MAIL, also succeeded, earning her a third Golden Globe nomination.

She has also received accolades for her unique dramatic portrayals, including a role alongside Denzel Washington as the first woman soldier nominated for the Medal of Honor in COURAGE UNDER FIRE, directed by Ed Zwick, and her touching performance as a woman struggling with alcoholism in Luis Mandoki's WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN, co-starring Andy Garcia. Recently, she returned to romantic comedies with the film WHAT HAPPENS LATER, which she directed and starred in alongside David Duchovny. The film was shot in Bentonville under strict COVID protocols and marked her second directorial project after ITHACA in 2015.

 

Danis Tanović will moderate the Masterclass.

 

John Turturro is a talented American actor and director educated at SUNY New Paltz and Yale School of Drama. He has collaborated with numerous prominent filmmakers, including Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, and the Coen brothers. He won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in BARTON FINK and the David di Donatello Award. He is known for the cult character Jesus Quintana from THE BIG LEBOWSKI, which he reprised in his film THE JESUS ROLLS. Turturro has directed six films, and his film MAC won the Camera D'Or award. He has also been nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe, winning an Emmy for his role in the series MONK. His television work includes numerous significant series, and he is currently seen in the second season of Apple’s SEVERANCE.

 

Alissa Simon will moderate the Masterclass.