Maja Izetbegović hosts the opening ceremony of the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival

The honour of hosting the opening ceremony of the 30th edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival was bestowed on actress Maja Izetbegović. "I was lucky and privileged to grow up with the Sarajevo Film Festival, which determined the path of my professional life in the most beautiful way possible. Today, it represents a space of freedom and inspiration for my own creative growth. The reason why I love Sarajevo the most during the festival is that in those days, the values that I love to live in my city come to the fore. These values are art, freedom and cosmopolitanism", Izetbegović said.

Maja Izetbegović is a Bosnian actress living and working in Sarajevo. A graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo in 2008, she has built a distinguished career in both theatre and film across Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. Izetbegović is known for her roles in feature films such as “Our Everyday Life”, “Son”, “Excursion”, and “Hotel Pula”, as well as many short films. Notably, “Excursion” premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, winning a Special Mention. She has also appeared in TV shows such as “I Know Your Soul” and “Frust”.

A member of Chamber Theatre 55, Maja has embodied a wide array of roles. She has played over 40 theatre roles, some of which include “Nora”, “Antigone”, “Disgraced”, “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”, “Ivanov”, “Doubt”, “A Respectable Wedding”, “Elijah's Chair”, and many others. She has received numerous awards for her performances in both theatre plays and films.

It is with great pleasure that the Sarajevo Film Festival hands over the role of the host of the opening every year to successful regional film artists of the younger generation, with the desire to discover, support and promote young film professionals.

In previous editions of the Sarajevo Film Festival, the role of the host of the opening ceremony was given to actresses Helena Vuković, Belma Salkunić, Amila Terzimehić, Alena Džebo, Marija Pikić, Vanesa Glođo, Zana Marjanović and actors Lazar Dragojević, Dino Bajrović, Igor Skvarica, Alban Ukaj, Ermin Bravo, Boris Ler, Adnan Hasković and Feđa Štukan.

The 30th Sarajevo Film Festival will be held from 16 to 23 August 2024