The Goteborg Film Festival is playing a hand in rebuilding Bosnia-Herzegovina's film industry with the creation of the CineBosnia Film Fund, launched at this week's Sarajevo Film Festival (August 18-27).
Unveiled by Goteborg director Gunnar Bergdahl and festival producer Magnus Telander, the fund will award $10,000 each year towards the pre-production, production or post-production of a Bosnian short, on film or video, in any genre.
The initiative's funds have been raised over the last three years by donations from private individuals and companies in Sweden with a common will to support the future of film in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The $10,000 will be presented to the producer or director of the selected project during the next Goteborg Film Festival (January 26 - February 4). Bergdahl said he hoped that receiving the CineBosnia award would result in further funding from broadcasters and other Scandinavian funds present at the festival.
"Bosnian producers have been struggling to bring films back to where they belong [in the cinemas], but they have been unable to get funding together. This step by Goteborg is helpful because the funding will help move projects forward," said Sarajevo festival director Mirsad Purivatra.
The CineBosnia project follows in the wake of Goteborg's Film Festival Film Fund for Developing Countries (GFFF) which was launched at the beginning of 1999 and is dedicated to supporting filmmakers in developing countries, with a special interest in the African continent.
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