Sarajevo 2021 opens with Wim Wenders winning Heart of Sarajevo honorary award

The 27th Sarajevo Film Festival started with German filmmaker Wim Wenders receiving the Heart of Sarajevo honorary award.

“The eyes are a precious instrument, but the most important organ of a filmmaker is his heart,” said Wenders, to a captive audience in the city’s National Theatre.

“It’s the heart that sees the beauty and despises ugliness,” continued Wenders. “It’s the heart that sees peace and suffers from war. It’s the heart that sees truth and despises lies. This is really the most beautiful prize a filmmaker can imagine – a heart.”

Sporting a heart-emblazoned T-shirt from a previous visit to the festival in 2011, Wenders joked, “I’m wearing this `T-shirt proudly ever since. Now I’m walking away with a real heart; I’ll come back in 2031.”

Wenders will host a masterclass at the festival on August 16, with a Tribute To programme dedicated to his work that started on Saturday (August 14) and will screen films including Alice In The Cities, Buena Vista Social Club and Paris, Texas.

The festival’s opening film was the world premiere of Danis Tanovic’s Not So Friendly Neighbourhood Affair, which also played at multiple locations around the city including the Open Air Cinema for several hundred guests.