Six mentors that come from the American youth camp Outside the Lens (San Diego), film Production Rough Cut Production (Philadelphia) and YouTube (Los Angeles) passed on their knowledge about film to young people from Dubrovnik, Široki Brijeg and San Diego at MFF School Workshops where young people worked on script development, shooting, production and postproduction.

Lucy Eagleson, the main mentor of the film workshop, said that it is an honour to come to Široki Brijeg every year.  

“This has become our new home. We are proud of our students. Herzegovina, we love you from the heart”, said Eagleson, and after that American-Herzegovinian ganga (folk song) spread over the open air cinema.

Khaldoun Sinno, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to B&H, which is one of the Festival sponsors, said that MFF is all about connecting people.

“We in the EU are proud to be the sponsors of MFF because exactly the Mediterranean is the foundation of European culture“, said Khaldoun and used this opportunity to congratulate the Festival on the award received at Sarajevo Film Festival.  

Drew Giblin, attaché for culture and education in the United States Embassy in B&H said that the Embassy is proud to support this festival.

“Well done! You have to be proud because of this festival. Art is a bridge between the USA and B&H. The key point is the focus on the young people and work on their creativity. Thank you for the chance to work together”, said Giblin.

Director of the Festival Tomislav Topić said that he is very happy that children are educated during MFF.

“I hope they will have a film future. In these four festival days the audience can see a lot of quality films”, said Topić.

The town mayor Miro Kraljević officially opened the festival and said that he is honoured to host the guests from all over the world. He congratulated the Festival for 18th successful organisation.

“We can see the growth of their work and how they get importance in the film industry year after year”, said the mayor.

Tomislav Ruk, the member of the HT Eronet’s board of directors, congratulated the festival and said that it is an honour to be the MFF sponsor.  

The competition program was opened by “The Road Movie”. Srđan Šarenac, the co-producer of the film, said that this is an experimental documentary film that brings novelty in documentary filmmaking, because there was no process of recording.

The festival, which lasts until August 26, will present 45 films. In the competition program 12 documentaries compete in the feature documentary competition and ten films in short documentary competition.  

This year too, the festival has prepared the program for children MFF Fora, OFF program with Hollywood blockbusters, retrospective of nine short BH films, Home authors program, screenings in the open air cinema, workshops and other programs.