SFF Official: Film 'Heroes of Halijard' Was Not Screened at SFF, Business Presentations Did Not Pass Our Selection

(Patria) - With the aim of objectively informing the public and establishing the facts about the event on Tuesday, August 15, within the business forum of the 29th Sarajevo Film Festival, the SFF issued a press release stating that the film 'Heroes of Halijard' was not screened at the Sarajevo Film Festival.

"The disputed film was not screened at the Sarajevo Film Festival. As part of the business presentation of the company Telekom Srbija at the Festival's business forum, among their other new projects, a film still in post-production - 'Heroes of Halijard' - was announced. Basic information about the project was provided, and three inserts of filmed material were shown to approximately 70 participants present. The content of the presentation was the sole responsibility of Telekom Srbija.

Until now, we have communicated with all partners based on a relationship of business trust regarding the material they would present. The content of this project was never mentioned. It is clear that this inserted revisionist content has breached that business trust. We accept responsibility for this inappropriate content and understand the negative comments from the public.

It has been decided that from the next Festival onwards, all presentations, including business presentations at the Sarajevo Film Festival, will undergo selection by the Festival's programmers, which was not the case until now because similar business entities from this sector were previously free to present what they do. Additionally, within the organization, measures will be established to prevent similar situations from recurring.

The Sarajevo Film Festival will not allow itself to be used for the promotion of historical revisionism of any kind," the statement said.