Sarajevo and the cinema: the back story

About Sarajevo and the cinema: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Sarajevo Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Every August Sarajevo becomes the film capital of south-east Europe. The Sarajevo Film Festival fills the National Theatre, the cinemas and a string of open-air screens, and the whole city seems to come out for the films and the parties.

A festival born in 1995

The Sarajevo Film Festival was founded in 1995 by Obala Art Centar, which two years later opened its own cinema, Kino Meeting Point, on Hamdije Kreševljakovića street. From those beginnings it has grown into the biggest and most important film event in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region.

The Heart of Sarajevo

The festival’s top award is the Heart of Sarajevo. The 32nd edition ran from 14 to 21 August 2026, opening with a red-carpet ceremony at the National Theatre; it closed with a restored version of No Man’s Land, the Bosnian film that won the Oscar for best foreign language film, marking its 25th anniversary (sff.ba).

Every August Sarajevo becomes the film capital of south-east Europe.

Open-air nights

During the festival, films are shown at the same time on several open-air screens: the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema, the UNIQA Open Air Cinema Stari Grad opposite the City Hall, the Open Air Cinema Centar “Safet Zajko”, the Grbavica Cinema and the Ilidža Picnic Cinema (CinemaNext, 2026).

Our tips

Book a room early if you come in August, as the city fills up for the festival. The rest of the year, Kino Meeting Point is the place for European and art-house films, and Cineplexx and Cinema City show the latest releases.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sarajevo and the cinema: the back story before you go.