The first Kova International Film Festival has opened at the Cultural Center in Gradiška, dedicated to Koviljka Kova Bačvić, a native of Gradiška who became the first female film and television editor in BiH.
The festival, officially opened by director Lordan Zafranović, will run through Sunday, September 13.
Its program includes competitive and showcase sections, screenings of domestic and international films, as well as discussions bringing together filmmakers and audiences.
Particular emphasis has been placed on film editing as one of the key creative elements of filmmaking.
The competition program features short fiction films, documentaries and student productions, with 23 student films from several countries selected for the official program.
Anja Ilić, director of the Audio-Visual Center of Republika Srpska, said Kova is the youngest among several film festivals currently held in Republika Srpska. She emphasized the significance of launching the festival in Gradiška, which she said is establishing an increasingly strong position on the domestic and regional film scene.
Assistant Minister for Culture Tanja Đaković said every inaugural edition of a festival carries a special energy and expressed confidence that Kova would continue to grow, attracting an increasing number of filmmakers and film enthusiasts.
She particularly highlighted the importance of holding the festival in Gradiška, noting that a vibrant cultural scene requires art to be accessible across local communities and for those communities to become places of encounter, creativity and new ideas.
Zoran Pilipović of Kozara Film, one of the festival’s organizers, said a conversation with Koviljka Bačvić Ivanović inspired the entire idea behind the festival, noting that she had laid the foundations for the film industry in Gradiška.
Koviljka Bačvić, born Ivanović, came from Gornji Podgradci near Gradiška. After World War II, she studied in Zagreb, where she graduated from film school before joining Bosna Film in Sarajevo.
She is remembered as the first female film and television editor in BiH, with her career connected to numerous significant works of Yugoslav cinema.
During the opening ceremony, the audience was also shown a short video about her life and career.
The festival’s opening night was complemented by a performance from Belgrade jazz artist Lena Kovačević, who performed a selection of domestic and international film classics.
The showcase program continues on Friday at 8 p.m. with a screening of “Cat’s Cry.” “The Will of the Sons” is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, while the festival will close on Sunday, September 13, with a screening of “The Wedding.”
The inaugural Kova International Film Festival is being held with the support of the Audio-Visual Center of Republika Srpska, the City of Gradiška, the Ministry of Education and Culture of Republika Srpska, the Office of the President of Republika Srpska and partner cultural institutions.
Source: RTRS
