Hollywood actor and filmmaker Jesse Eisenberg is this year's recipient of the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, and he won the hearts of the audience by saying Sarajevo is his “favourite city in the world.” In an interview with N1, Eisenberg speaks about what fascinates him about the Bosnian capital and what message he will carry with him from this place. He also spoke about the preparation for his role in 'The Hunting Party' film about the war in Bosnia.

After his first visit in 2007, he always thought he would be back in Sarajevo as a tourist, to walk around and explore the city with his wife, Eisenberg said. Instead, he got back to receive the honorary award which he found “incredible.”

What impressed him the most about the Bosnian capital is the mixture of cultures, architecture, cuisine and the beautiful history that was tragic at moments. As an American-Jewish, Eisenberg said he could relate a lot with the Bosnian experience of integrating in different cultures.

His first contact with the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the country in general was while filming ‘The Hunting Party’ film with Richard Gere, a story about the American journalist visiting Bosnia in 1994.

He did a lot of research to prepare for the role and found the country's history “interesting, tragic and fascinating.” Eisenberg jokingly added that he learned so much that he became an expert in the Balkans.

Watch the full interview with Eisenberg in the video.