Sarajevo to honour Asghar Farhadi

Iranian director to receive Heart of Sarajevo and tribute programme

by Amber Wilkinson

Asghar Farhadi will receive a Heart of Sarajevo
Asghar Farhadi will receive a Heart of Sarajevo Photo: Courtesy of Sarajevo Film Festival
The Sarajevo Film Festival has announced it will present an Honorary Heart of Sarajevo to Iranian director Asghar Farhadi.

The Oscar-winning director of A Separation, who served as president of the feature film jury at the festival eight years ago, will accept the award in person. The festival will also screen a retrospective of his work.

The irector of Sarajevo Film Festival Jovan Marjanović said: “It is difficult to overstate Asghar Farhadi’s significance to world cinema. His remarkable body of work reminds us that the most profound dramas are often concealed within everyday life. His films do not offer easy answers; instead, they invite us to look more closely, listen more carefully and engage with life’s complexities. We are honoured to welcome Farhadi back to the Festival and to present him with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo.”

Farhadi was born in 1972 and made his directorial debut with Dancing In The Dust (2002). After success of About Elly (2009), for which he won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlinale, he gained international recognition and critical acclaim with A Separation (2011), which won an Oscar and a César for Best Foreign Film.

After leaving Iran, he moved to France, where he shot The Past (2013), which won Bérénice Bejo the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. He then returned to Iran to direct The Salesman (2016) which premiered in competition at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where it won best screenplay and best actor (Shahab Hosseini). In 2021, A Hero won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and Parallel Tales, his latest film, screened in Cannes this year.

Share this with others on...
News

Expanding the possible Fernanda Salgado on fantasy, reality, Jan Švankmajer and Ana, En Passant

A burning thing Sneha Mehta and Teddy Stern on falling in love with Mumbai, and making Getar Hero

Nothing is impossible Paul Rowley on moving to New York, the Pulse massacre, and Gays Against Guns

‘The only thing that makes a story universal is emotions’ Warsaw’s Industry panel discuss reaching audiences abroad

The only thing worth saying Chuko and Arie Esiri on adapting Mrs Dalloway and making Clarissa

European Film Academy shortlist announced 68 features vie for nomination

More news and features

We're bringing you all the latest news and reviews from the London Film Festival and Newfest.



We're looking forward to the Belfast Film Festival, Halloween Frightfest, the Cheltenham International Film Festival and the Leeds International Film Festival.



We've recently brought you coverage of the New York Film Festival, Grimmfest, Beyond Fest, the San Sebastian International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon, Instagram and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest:


London Winners announced


Tallinn Black Nights UK co-production joins Works In Progress


Warsaw What Belongs To Others takes top prize


Tallinn Baltic Competition, Rebels With A Cause and Critics' Picks titles announced


Dinard I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning named Best Film