In only seven years, Sarajevo Film Academy has become a catalyst for the development of a new generation of international filmmakers from over 40 countries and all corners of the world including Australia, Canada, Brazil, Columbia, Croatia, France, India, Venezuela, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, UAE, UK, USA, Italy.
We believe the Academy is an important and certainly ambitious project we are carefully growing into one of the most exciting places to study film in this part of the world.
The Sarajevo Film Academy focuses on the field of film directing and offers Bologna certified undergraduate (BFA) and postgraduate (MFA) programs, which are committed to providing highly competitive education in different areas of filmmaking.
The programs are developed as an interactive platform with three basic sections: theoretical lectures, practical workshops, and - most importantly - film production.
They place a strong accent on practical work in filmmaking combined with the development and exploration of the filmmaker’s own creative voice.
The three-year BFA program represents an agile and exciting platform for new and developing filmmakers. The focus is always on practical work, while SFA staff works closely with students through navigating challenges of diverse courses bringing together theory and application.
A mentorship structure ensures that each student has a great deal of attention in completing the set film exercises and short films, while being engaged in modules, workshops and masterclasses.
The two-year MFA program offers opportunities to young film authors in development of their artistic expression.
While providing students a stable structure of core classes, the programs of SFA are characterized by flexibility, openness, and the singular opportunity to connect and work with the world’s most prominent experts, artists, directors, theorists and film historians. All levels of study at the Sarajevo Film Academy benefit from an in-house film lab and the school’s standing commitment towards continuous build-up of its resources and the expansion of its production capacities.
SFA faculty is drawn exclusively from internationally accomplished film professionals and artists. It brings together some of the world's most prominent and experienced filmmakers and autorhs, who join the Academy both as core staff and guest lecturers. SFA is proud to have hosted lectures and workshops by artists such as Carlos Reygadas, Tilda Swinton, Gus van Sant, Fred Kelemen, Juliette Binoche, Pedro Costa, Gael Garcia Bernal, Abel Ferarra, Cristian Mungiu, Atom Egoyan, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, among others.
Here you can find the full list of guest lecturers Sarajevo Film Academy had the pleasure of welcoming. For more information about Sarajevo Film Academy and its programs, please visit www.sfa.ba.
“I wanted knowledge and I wanted to achieve quality in my work. I did a lot on my own, prior to any academic study and was afraid of a degree that might be too theoretical. But here, most of our work is practical, the theory immediately tested, exercised, used. We are given access to some of the greatest filmmakers of today. Each day I am inspired by my professors.”
Ado Hasanović, BFA student (Class of 2010)
“The school itself has been a bit of a surreal experience as I've listened, talked to and worked with some of my favorite filmmakers in the world. Engaging in intimate dialogue with them about cinema and its possibilities, sharing with them my own work, and collaborating on film projects. This is the only place in the world where a school like this exists. Where I could do what I'm doing.”
Patrick Marshall, MFA student (Class of 2013)
“With barely any experience in directing or film, I chose SFA due to the wide selection of film industry professionals providing intense, hands-on teaching. The limited number of students accepted allows the professors to help each of us individually, to address our weaknesses, so we can grow exponentially with each new semester.”
Benjamin Dizdarević, BFA student (Class of 2011)
“After years of working in film and TV production as an executive producer as well as director, I felt the need to expand my knowledge. SFA was the right choice; I feel I am progressing more and more. This progress can be seen in each one of us, as individuals and as a class.”
Amela Čuhara, BFA student (Class of 2010)
“More than just a post-graduate course, here we are given a creative space inhabited by talented people from all over the world, in an environment that encourages us to find our individual form of expression. It has been a challenging and gratifying life experience, one that has enabled me to grow and learn about myself and the reality around me.”
Fernando Nogari, MFA student (Class of 2013)
Dr. Lejla Panjeta
Full-time proffesor
Film is the art of images moving at the speed of light, illuminating the human experience that connects us all. No other art form is as complex or integrates as many different disciplines and modes of expression.
Teamwork is thus the ultimate requirement for successful filmmaking. Guided by the strength of an idea and commitment to the talented team that translates this idea into reality, the SFA has produced great student works which reflect the thoughts and desires of our time.
As artists, we are motivated by the need to share our vision, our inner thoughts and our observations. We believe that this is possible only through collaboration and a study program rooted in film practice, history and theory.
We prepare students for modern workspaces with quality practical knowledge.