The EU is proud to once again be a partner of the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), one of Europe’s most prominent festivals, Chargé d’Affaires of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina Khaldoun Sinno stated on the occasion of the Festival’s 23rd edition.
While visiting premises of the CineLink Industry Days organised as the part of SFF, Sinno noted the EU’s continuous interest to acknowledge and support hard work and commitment of cultural professionals and artists in Bosnia and Herzegovina who encourage innovative practices in their fields and promote progress.
In the past several years, Sarajevo Film Festival emerged as an important platform for businesses and film professionals from South-East Europe (SEE) to show their work outside of their countries, and bring it closer to the rest of Europe. Recognising the importance of such an initiative, the EU continues to support CineLink, the industry-oriented programme of the Festival.
Initiated in 2003, CineLink has become one of the most successful platforms for the development and financing of feature-length fiction films in Europe. Every year, it gathers thousands of film professionals in Sarajevo who are looking for new projects, presenting their work and ideas, discussing the burning issues in the field and networking.
The CineLink Coproduction Market also presents around 15 ‘hand-picked’ feature fiction projects in development and financing stages to around 70 select international professionals mainly from SEE and other European countries.
Through the Creative Europe programme and other initiatives, the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a long-standing supporter of the preservation and promotion of cultural institutions and heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Background
Creative Europe is the European Commission’s framework programme for support to the culture and audio-visual sectors. The European Union secured Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership in the Creative Europe programme in June 2014 through the IPA I programme, when it provided EUR 184,500 for the entry ticket enabling BiH to participate in the programme.
All information on open calls and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s participation in Creative Europe is available on the Creative Europe Desk BiH’s website: http://www.kreativnaevropa.ba/
