Emir Hadzihafizbegovic to receive Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival

The award is presented to artists whose work has left a lasting mark on Bosnian and Herzegovinian and regional cinema. The festival said the honour reflects its long-standing commitment to recognising figures who have shaped the region's film industry.

"Among us are artists whose work becomes part of a community's cultural memory. Looking back at the cinema of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region, we find Emir Hadzihafizbegovic's presence everywhere – in performances woven deeply into some of its most significant film achievements. It is a privilege to present the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo to an artist whose body of work has helped define the cinema of the very place from which he emerged, the same place from which the Sarajevo Film Festival itself grew more than three decades ago. This recognition honors an acting career that transcends the boundaries of language, nation and stage," said SFF Director Jovan Marjanovic.

Born in Tuzla on August 20, 1961, Hadzihafizbegovic graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo in 1986. He went on to build one of the region's most acclaimed acting careers, appearing in more than 70 feature films and over 100 theatre, film and television productions.

Throughout his career, he has collaborated with directors including Ognjen Svilicic, Rajko Grlic, Jasmila Zbanic, Pjer Zalica, Srdjan Vuletic and Emir Kusturica. Films featuring Hadzihafizbegovic have been recognised at major international festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Locarno and Rotterdam.

Among his many accolades is the Best Actor award in the Orizzonti section of the Venice International Film Festival for his performance in These Are the Rules, as well as the Golden Arena in Pula. He has also received the Andrei Tarkovsky Award at Russia's Zerkalo International Film Festival.

His notable screen credits include Armin, The Border Post, Death of a Man in the Balkans, May Labour Day, Fuse, Days and Hours, Our Everyday Life and The Frog, earning awards and recognition at festivals across Europe, Africa and North America.

Alongside his film work, Hadzihafizbegovic has established a distinguished theatre career as a leading actor and director of Kamerni Teatar 55 in Sarajevo. He is also the author of four original stage productions that have toured internationally, with performances in cities including New York, Toronto, Paris, London, Berlin and Sydney.

The 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival will be held from August 14 to 21, 2026.