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Sarajevo Film Festival launches new industry initiatives
For its 5th edition, the Sarajevo Film Festival's Regional Forum returns in a new shape, offering increased meeting possibilities and a redesigned programme – all with the aim of enhancing business and the exchange of knowledge.
Taking place in Sarajevo on August 21-24, the Regional Forum is the festival's major annual conference on current issues for the film industry in Southeast Europe. It brings together over 100 key professionals from 15 regional countries, from both the private and public sector, to discuss the burning issues in the industry, advocate for and shape up public policies, and network with each other.
This year the Forum programme has been redesigned and will be presenting three days each devoted to one major issue. Moderated by Marko Pavlovic, Business Correspondent at Al Jazeera Balkans, the sessions will feature leading international experts, speaking on the following topics:
Aug 22: Film finance: Streamlining the public funding for coproduction in former Yugoslavia
Which are the lessons to be learned from the past deaced of co-productions, and how can the cooperation be improved during the years to come?
Aug 23: Cultural policy: How to boost the impact of creative industries on local societies and economies?
Large scale cultural events are a driving force in the economy of the creative industries. This session will offer a framework for exploring the private/public sector nexus and how creative industries can be used as a tool of economic regeneration.
Aug 24: Business models: Film industry between new legislations and new technologies
The sway of digital technologies has absolutely undermined the existing business models in content creating industries. How can piracy be fought, while at the same time including the new players in the film value chain?
In addition and to enhance networking and business opportunities during the Forum, a new space has been created – the ”Industry Terrace”, which will be offering individual meetings and moderated sessions for professionals working in the fields of film rights, service productions and equipment. Some of the companies scheduled to participate are HBO, HRT, The Post Republic, Film Factory Sarajevo, Al Jazeera Balkans and MAX TV.
Regional Forum programme
Schedule for the Industry Terrace's open Info Sessions
Screen International, a long-time partner of the Forum, will cover the Industry days in a special Focus section.
Jovan Marjanović, Head of Industry:
- There's a great and still in many ways unrealized potential in the region when it comes to the business side of film, and this is our way of trying to help facilitate that development, to really make business and art meet.
During its 10 years in existence, Sarajevo Film Festival's industry section has become the major hub for regional film professionals and played a crucial role in the development of regional co-production. It has also become a key destination for professionals from across Europe who search for talent and co-production possibilities, or simply wish to get in-depth knowledge on the development of this dynamic region.
With the sections CineLink, Regional Forum, Industry Terrace, Sarajevo Talent Campus, Sarajevo City of Film, Rough Cut Boutique and Minimarket, Sarajevo Film Festival's industry offer includes activities for people from all spheres of the business, and for filmmakers in all stages of their career.
The Regional Forum is arranged with support from British Council, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Regional Cooperation Council, UNESCO, OPA office of US Embassy in Sarajevo, APAW, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Culture of Federation BiH and Vizart.