Bosnia and Herzegovina’s films are the country’s best cultural export that create jobs and deliver social benefits. At the 2013 Cannes and Berlin film festivals, industry leaders showered acclaim on two of the country’s recent national releases. Meanwhile, the renowned international Sarajevo Film Festival has put the spotlight on the country’s many talents, and on the array of business opportunities the industry holds behind the screens.

Key members of the country’s film sector cooperated to conduct a mapping of the economic, structural and cultural features of the film industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina to address the lack of relevant data that could help identify the main fields for investment and establish the basis for new measures and policies to boost the sector.

The landmark study financed by UNESCO’s IFCD mapped the most pressing gaps in the industry’s legal and economic framework. It showed that between 2008 and 2012, dedicated public support to cinematography dropped by 65%, and that 2012 was the second consecutive year with no increase in production since 2002. But most significantly, the analysis demonstrated that each euro invested by the State in filmmaking delivers eight euros of turnover for the industry.

Conclusions from the research were packaged into an Action Plan destined for the country’s decision makers. Priority areas of intervention at the national level are fleshed out in the Plan including the need to improve competition, set tax incentives and promote foreign productions that could benefit from the country’s excellent locations and experienced labour force along the filmmaking value chain.

The creation of a common National Fund was also tabled. The aim is to promote more film releases and co-productions across the country. A national association for filmmakers has also been created.