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Sarajevo Film Fest Goes Open Air: Dreams, Sentimental Value, and a Few Surprises That’ll Make You Rethink Your Life (or At Least Your Movie Night)

Added on August 4, 2025 inMovie News Cards

Well, isn’t this a celestial alignment that even Mercury in retrograde can’t mess up? The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival is rolling out its red carpet—or should I say, open-air screen—for a dazzling lineup that’s part classic charm, part arthouse brilliance. Picture this: under the starry dome of the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema, cinematic legends like Paolo Sorrentino and Willem Dafoe join forces with emerging gems, while the Uniqa Open Air Cinema Stari Grad shines a spotlight on films hailing from the heart of the former Yugoslav region. Now, if the planets could chat, I’m sure they’d be buzzing about how this curated mix perfectly syncs with this month’s cosmic vibe of transformation and bold new beginnings. So, ready to dive into a movie marathon that’s as unpredictable as a Leo at a talent show? LEARN MORE

 
The 31st edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its Open Air Program, consisting of two sections, Open Air and Open Air Premiere.  
 
The program set for the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema will be “showcasing some of the most important arthouse films of the year, as well as cinematic classics,” organizers said. “Some of the films in this program will be presented by acclaimed directors, actors, and screenwriters, [2025] recipients of the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, including Paolo Sorrentino, Willem Dafoe, Ray Winstone, Stellan Skarsgård, and Michel Franco,” who received the honor several years ago. 
 
Meanwhile, the new Open Air Premiere lineup will “showcase films from the former Yugoslav region in the unique setting of the Uniqa Open Air Cinema Stari Grad,” fest organizers highlighted.

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Check out the full Sarajevo open air lineups below.
 
OPEN AIR PROGRAM
 
The Pavilion (Paviljon)opening film 
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, 2025, 100 min. 
Director: Dino Mustafić 
Cast: Rade Šerbedžija, Zijah Sokolović, Miralem Zubčević, Ksenija Pajić, Jasna Diklić, Branka Petrić, Meto Jovanovski, Vladimir Jurc Lali, Kaća Dorić, Muhamed Bahonjić  
 
Brides 
United Kingdom, 2025, 93 min. 
Director: Nadia Fall 
Cast: Ebada Hassan, Safiyya Ingar, Leo Bill, Arthur Darvill, Sinead Matthews, Yusra Warsama, Ali Khan, Cemre Ebuzziya, Aziz Capkurt 
 
Case 137/Dossier 137 
France, 2025, 115 min. 
Director: Dominik Moll 
Cast: Léa Drucker, Jonathan Turnbull, Mathilde Roehrich, Pascal Sangla, Claire Bodson, Florence Viala, Hélène Alexandridis 
 
Dreams 
Mexico, United States, 2025, 95 min.  
Director: Michel Franco 
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Isaác Hernández, Rupert Friend, Marshall Bell, Eligio Meléndez, Mercedes Hernández 
 
Leave One Day (Partir un Jour) 
France, 2025, 96 min. 
Director: Amélie Bonnin 
Cast: Juliette Armanet, Bastien Bouillon, François Rollin, Tewfik Jallab, Dominique Blanc, Mhamed Arezki, Pierre-Antoine Billon, Amandine Dewasmes 
 
Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi) 
Norway, Germany, Denmark, France, Sweden, United Kingdom, Türkiye, 2025, 132 min.  
Director: Joachim Trier 
Cast: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning 
 
The Birthday Party
Greece, Spain, Netherlands, United Kingdom, 2025, 103 min. 
Director: Miguel Ángel Jimenéz 
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Vic Carmen Sonne, Emma Suárez, Joe Cole, Carlos Cuevas 
 
The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza) 
Italy, France, 2013, 141 min. 
Director: Paolo Sorrentino 
Cast: Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli, Carlo Buccirosso, Iaia Forte, Pamela Villoresi, Galatea Ranzi, Massimo De Francovich, Roberto Herlitzka, Isabella Ferrari 

Sarajevo FIlm Festival 2025 Open Air Premiere films

OPEN AIR PREMIERE PROGRAM
 
Bosnian Knight (Bosanski Vitez)
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, 2025, 79 min. 
Director: Tarik Hodžić 
 
Cat’s Cry (Mačiji Krik)
Serbia, Canada, Croatia, 2024, 94 min. 
Director: Sanja Živković 
Cast: Jasmin Geljo, Andrijana Đorđević, Sanja Mikitišin, Marija Škaričić, Denis Murić  
 
Radio Rambo Amadeus 
Serbia, 2025, 73 min. 
Director: Dušan Varda 
 
Surviving Earth
United Kingdom, 2025, 100 min. 
Director: Thea Gajić 
Cast: Slavko Sobin, Olive Gray, Stuart Martin, Peter Coonan, Toni Gojanović, Ann Ogbomo 
  
The Lost Dream Team (Izgubljeni Dream Team) 
Croatia, Serbia, Italy, Slovenia, 2025, 82 min. 
Director: Jure Pavlović 
 
The Track 
Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2025, 92 min.  
Director: Ryan Sidhoo 
 
Whites Wash at Ninety (Belo Se Pere Na Devetdeset) 
Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, 2025, 142 min. 
Director: Marko Naberšnik 
Cast: Lea Cok, Anica Dobra, Jurij Zrnec, Tjaša Železnik, Žiga Šorli, Mei Rabič, Jaka Mehle, Vladimir Tintor, Iva Krajnc Bagola, Saša Tabaković, Jure Rajšp, Polona Juh, Blaž Dolenc 
 

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