Europe Day 2026: European Film Days open in Sarajevo

Europe Day 2026: European Film Days open in Sarajevo

The European Film Days in Sarajevo, a long-standing part of Europe Day celebrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, opened on Wednesday evening, 13 May. Until 20 May, film lovers will have the opportunity to enjoy 13 European films, screened free of charge each evening at the Meeting Point cinema.

The audience for the first night of the European Film Days 2025 was greeted by Ferdinand Koenig, Head of Communications and Spokesperson of the EU in BiH, Homer Mavrommatis, Ambassador of Cyprus to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Klara Wuketich, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in BiH, on behalf of EUNIC Network.

"Cultural exchange is an essential element of building peace, stability, and prosperity across our continent. European Film Days have now become a fixture of our Europe Day celebrations every year. Cinema is a universal language; it has the power to transport us to different worlds and provide a window into other societies. It is a rare pleasure to experience Cypriot cinema here in Sarajevo, and I am very glad we are opening the festival with a screening of such a unique film," said Koenig.

This year's edition of the European Film Days was opened by the Cypriot drama "Africa Star" (2024) directed by Adonis Florides presenting the lives and experiences of three generations of women in Cyprus. The film was presented by the Embassy of Cyprus to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"This evening's event offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate European cinema and to highlight the importance of cultural exchange, dialogue and mutual understanding through the art of film. Cyprus is proud to be part of this shared cultural space, contributing to the rich and diverse tapestry of European storytelling. We hope that tonight's screening of "Africa Star" will give you a meaningful insight into contemporary Cypriot cinema and culture," said Ambassador Mavrommatis.

"European Film Days is a joint initiative of the EUNIC network in BiH and the EU Office in BiH. The Austrian Cultural Forum is presiding over our BiH cluster this year and we are happy to organise activities with local partners. It is a great pleasure for us to participate in European Film Days again this year, as it is an excellent project that allows us to promote cinema across Europe to BiH citizens in Sarajevo and Banja Luka with free admission to all screenings. We expect the films to be well-attended again this year," said Klara Wuketich, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Sarajevo.

This year, the programme for the European Film Days in Sarajevo contains films from Cyprus, Germany, Spain, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece and Austria in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Free tickets can be collected at the Meeting Point cinema one hour before the start of each screening.

More information about the European Film Days programme and the Europe Day in BiH celebrations are available at https://www.europehouse.ba and https://www.kinomeetingpoint.ba.