When we published Howard Feinstein’s first-person account of why he resigned as a Sarajevo Film Festival programmer, we invited a festival representative to respond with their point of view.
Today, we received a response from creative director Izeta Gradevic, who claims that the festival chose not to renew his appointment. Her statement regarding the Sarajevo Film Festival follows:
Having celebrity guests as part of the festival does elevate public and press interest and attention, though it does not overshadow any other festival activity. As it was indicated that their visit goes beyond a routine protocol attendance, it feels relevant to emphasize the one of the most important objectives of their presence is their contribution to the Festival’s educational component, namely the Sarajevo Talent Campus, a well-established platform to exchange knowledge, experiences and views with young and perspective film professionals from the region.
The Sarajevo Film Festival remains faithful to its objective to promote worldwide auteur cinema, with a specialized focus on South-Eastern Europe. Auteur cinema creates the core and the heart of our programming, which is highly appreciated by festival audience and film professionals. With its aim to further enhance regional film industry, the Festival continues developing its key platforms: Main Competition Program, CineLink Coproduction Market, Regional Forum, Minimarket, and the Sarajevo Talent Campus.
The Festival team is already working intensively on the 2012 Festival edition planning and programming outline. The first press release with new Festival dates and program focuses will be published in approximately one month. In light of that, we will be happy to answer all inquires and questions concerning the programming and organization of the Sarajevo Film Festival.
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