Films set in coronavirus pandemic to open Sarajevo Film Festival

SARAJEVO: Two feature films dealing with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on peoples' lives and economy will on Friday open the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), the largest film showcase in a region spreading from Vienna to Istanbul.

Last year's festival was pushed online due to the pandemic. This one will open to audiences at a number of new screening sites in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings, with nearly a third of locations set in the open air. "This year's festival will be a hybrid one - it will mean a great comeback of the audience into the cinema while a major part of the industry business will be conducted online," SFF founder and director Mirsad Purivatra told Reuters.