As the first film festival organized in Kosova, for years the aim was to showcase and appreciate local film creations, including feature films, shorts, and documentaries. In 2002, the first edition of the festival was held in the city of Gjilan, where the idea of taking the festival on a journey to each major center of Kosova was born. In the third edition, the internationalization of the festival began, with the inclusion of films and documentaries from the region and beyond. 

Over the years, it has been organized in Gjilan, Peja, Ferizaj, Fushe Kosove, Prishtina, etc. A special feature of the festival is the tradition of screening short films on trains. Throughout its history, some editions have been dedicated to children, and a special section has been incorporated for the screening and evaluation of young filmmakers, students from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Prishtina, gathered under the title “Cinema of the Future”. The International Film Festival “HNF” has brought directors, screenwriters, and actors of global renown, who have also held various workshops to share their experiences in our country.