Robert De Niro has officially opened Sarajevo Film Festival. In his address to the audience in the Sarajevo National Theatre, he said:
Sarajevo Film Festival was born during dark and dangerous time. It countered the butchery of war with celebrations of art and humanity. Six years later, on September 11, 2001, my own city, New York, my own New York city neighborhood was attacked, and we started the Tribeca Film Festival as a gesture of hope, resilience and defiance.
At the first Tribeca Film Festival Nelson Mandela reminded us that film is an evocative tool for fostering understanding and through that tolerance in the world.
Miro (Mirsad Purivatra, SFF Director), you honored us in 2005 by being Tribeca Film Festival judge and now I'm honoured to be here, with you, opening 2016 Sarajevo Film Festival.
