Honorary Heart of Sarajevo No. 32 2026
Sarajevo Honorary Heart — Emir Hadžihafizbegović (2026)
The Bosnian actor received the Heart at the 32nd edition — the first Bosnian actor on the roll, and only the third Bosnian name.
- Recipient
- Emir Hadžihafizbegović
- Awarded
- 2026 · 32nd edition
- Role
- Actor
- From
- Bosnian
- For
- For his contribution to the art of cinema and to Bosnian film.
Emir Hadžihafizbegović received the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival (14–21 August 2026), recognised for “all his memorable roles and overall contribution to film art.” He is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s best-known actors, a mainstay of Bosnian film and theatre since the 1990s. His roles span the defining films of Bosnian cinema: Dino Mustafić’s Remake (2003), Jasmila Žbanić’s Grbavica (2006, Golden Bear at Berlin), Pjer Žalica’s Fuse (2003), Ognjen Sviličić’s Armin (2007), and Jasmila Žbanić’s Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020, Oscar-nominated).
He graduated from the Sarajevo Academy of Performing Arts in 1986 — in Emir Kusturica’s class. He worked through the war years. He has performed at Kamerni Teatar 55 for decades and served a term as Sarajevo Canton Minister of Culture and Sports.
He is the third Bosnian honouree — after Gavrilo Grahovac (2006) and Danis Tanović (2014) — and the first Bosnian actor to receive the Heart. A festival founded by and for this city giving its honorary award to one of its own is the roll’s homecoming.
Also honoured in 2026
- Asghar Farhadi Film director and screenwriter
- Diego Luna Actor, director and producer
- Emily Watson Actress
- Woody Harrelson Actor, screenwriter, director and playwright
Sources & further reading
What they said in Sarajevo
I responsibly claim this will be another Pjer Žalica hit.