Red carpet for politicians, shadow for film

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

Every year, the Sarajevo Film Festival tries to prove it is a world-class cultural event. And then we face the same story. Because at the same time, it equally persistently proves something else, that our politicians find it more important to appear on the red carpet than in the halls where films are shown. Or, more specifically, that it is easier to be photographed at the festival than to help cinematography, and not interest groups that produce works of no value.

This is not a recent phenomenon. For years, we have watched the same scene: mayors, ministers, prime ministers, and parliamentarians parade in front of cameras, while artists – the people for whom the festival exists – remain in the shadows. The red carpet has turned into an improvised political stage, a PR polygon where it is more important to be seen than to support film. The media, of course, obediently report: “look who shone on the red carpet” – and then list ministers and their wives.

Elmedin Konaković admits this year that the criticism is justified and that support for cinematography was better in the past. His honesty can be acknowledged. But words are easy to handle; it is difficult to shift the spotlights from one's own smile and direct them where they belong – to the authors, actors, producers.

At world festivals, politicians are background scenery, and film is the center of attention. In Sarajevo, it is the opposite; art is the background scenery, politicians are the show. And it is a show that has been going on for years.

If the government truly wants to be a partner to cinematography, then it should step out of the photo zones and engage in serious discussions about the film fund, about long-term strategies, about how the domestic industry can survive. The red carpet is not proof of support for art. It is proof of how much politics loves the spotlight – even when it is not theirs.

Until this changes, the Sarajevo Film Festival will have a dual reality: the real one, in which BiH film receives recognition worldwide – and the superficial one, in which our politicians parade as stars, and artists remain in the shadow of their own festival.