Michel Franco, one of Mexico's highest-profile and most independent filmmakers, will be awarded this year with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo for his outstanding contribution to cinematic art and his support to the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), the festival management announced on Monday.

Franco will also be honoured with a retrospective of his works in the Festival’s Tribute to Programme.

“Honoring Franco with this award is even more special to me as it will be given to a friend, expressing also how much his support of the Sarajevo Film Festival throughout the years and our collaboration means to me and the Festival. We are delighted that the 26th Sarajevo Film Festival edition will highlight work of such exceptional filmmaker through the Festival’s Tribute to Programme”, said Festival Director Mirsad Purivatra.

The 26th Sarajevo Film Festival will be held as planned – from 14 to 21 August – on-site as well as online, in accordance with the situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival management said a month before the event is set to take place.

“We are fully aware of the responsibility we have as the organizer of such an event,” said Purivatra. “Covid-19 has affected all aspects of life worldwide, and the Sarajevo Film Festival has thus been required to go through a transformation as well. That means smaller groups, fewer guests, no receptions and parties as we know it, but as always, lots of high-quality films, great screenings and film talks.”

“Our mission remains the same as it has been since the day our festival was founded in a besieged city – to celebrate life, humanity and the arts. Now, once again, we have an opportunity to use culture to fight adversity – by organizing a festival in line with the advice of health experts and behaving responsibly within well-defined guidelines, we can show how social cohesion can be built even when we need to maintain physical distance,” he added.

The festival team said they have been working with members of the Civil Protection HQ of Sarajevo Canton, in co-operation with the healthcare institutions of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to define epidemiological protocols for all festival locations and guests in attendance since late May.