Founded 2003 Website www.bhffnyc.org | Language International | |
Location New York City, United States Directed by Academy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Voice of Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||
The Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival (BHFF) is an annual event founded in 2003 and held in New York and since 2007 showcased at the Tribeca Cinemas Theatres. This Festival showcases the best of the Bosnian cinematography and also provides a platform for the international exposure for emerging Bosnian filmmakers. It showcases the best of the resurgent film production in Bosnia since the recent war, bringing the simplicity, soulfulness and the perennial dark humor of the Bosnian film to the American audiences. In addition to showcasing the Bosnian production films the festival also includes in their program films by other producers and directors that deal with historical, socio-political and cultural issues of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival is organized by not-for-profit organizations the Voice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Inc. and the Academy of Bosnia and Herzegovina Inc.
History
On October 24, 2003, director Benjamin Filipović, a winner of the Grand Prix of Europe for Best Short Film and a former President of the Association of Filmmakers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, officially opened the first festival at the Two Boots Pioneer Theatre in East Village, one of New York’s cultural hubs . In its founding year the festival showcased 5 film titles.
The festival also highlighted "Aftermath," a photography exhibit by artist Sara Terry. Among other guests of the first BHFF was the lead female role of Kuduz, actress Snežana Bogdanović.
Following its debut, the BHFF moved to larger premises at the Anthology Film Archives, still maintaining its presence in the East Village. Film director Džemal Šabić opened the second annual Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival on April 29, 2005. There were 10 film titles screened at the second BHFF.
Among festival guests were young Bosnian filmmakers and artists Sabina Vajrača, Aida Šehović and Nebojša Šerić Shoba, as well as the director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, Mirsad Purivatra, and the former Bosnian Ambassador to the United Nations, Mirza Kušljugić.
This critical second annual event of Bosnian-Herzegovinian film set the pace for the future BHFF, making the festival much awaited tradition among its audience.
Awards
BHFF is a competition based film festival and it awards The Golden Apple award in several categories to eligible films screened at each BHFF.
Jury Awards
Since 2012 BHFF Jury Awards are awarded to the most outstanding films screened at the BHFF. BHFF awards following Jury awards:
Audience Awards
Since 2006 the festival presented Audience Award, The BHFF Golden Apple for the Best Short or Feature Film and Audience Award for the Best Documentary Film.
Since 2012 and after introduction of jury awards BHFF consolidated the audience award into a single award