The Sarajevo Film Festival screens feature-length films and shorts from new filmmakers worldwide, plus recent independent productions, first and second feature films by young directors from Central and Eastern Europe and short and documentary films produced since 1996 by Bosnian filmmakers.

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The story of the festival began during the war in 1995 when conditions were impossible. Even then, Sarajevo was the host to some of the most prominent names from the world of cinema, such as Leos Carax and Alfonso Cuaron. Although the first event was more tied in with the resistance and freedom fighting movement, the organisation of the event was immaculate and served as a base for those that followed.

The festival follows both the avant-garde and the commercial trends in the world of cinema and is a meeting place for film professionals from all over the world. Celebrities such as Willem Dafoe, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Peter Mullan or Bono Vox have all visited in past years. Last year's special guests were Mike Leigh, Zornitsa Sophia Bugarska, Hugh Hudson and Pjer Zalica, who came to present their films and simply just to enjoy the festival atmosphere.