Why Emily Watson Will Never Quit Sarajevo Film Festival
Emily Watson, the two-time Oscar-nominated British actress, is being celebrated at the Sarajevo Film Festival this year as president of the feature film competition jury and recipient of the festival's Honorary Heart award. Her connection to the festival dates back to 1996, when she attended its second edition just a year after the siege of Sarajevo ended, presenting Lars von Trier's *Breaking the Waves* alongside Stellan Skarsgård, a role that earned her a first Oscar nomination. Her enduring bond with the event, and her belief in its role in the region's healing and cultural revival, explains why she keeps returning decades later.
This year Watson is joined in Sarajevo by her 20-year-old daughter, whom she first brought to the festival as a six-month-old baby in 2006. A retrospective screening of *Breaking the Waves* as part of her award ceremony proved emotional, prompting her to dedicate the Honorary Heart to her late co-star Katrin Cartlidge, who died in 2002 and in whose name the festival runs a filmmaking bursary. Festival director Jovan Marjanović praised Watson's long history with the event, and Watson herself described Sarajevo as having "a very, very pure feeling" compared with more commercially driven festivals, citing the honesty of regional filmmaking and the diverse perspectives of jury members from the area.
- Emily Watson honoured with Sarajevo Film Festival's Honorary Heart award
- She's led the festival's feature film jury and attended since 1996
- Watson dedicated the award to late co-star Katrin Cartlidge
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The Sarajevo Film Festival began during the Bosnian war and continued after the siege of Sarajevo ended in 1995. It has become a major cultural event in south-east Europe, bringing local and international filmmakers together.
Emily Watson first attended in 1996, soon after her performance in Breaking the Waves brought her international recognition. The film’s co-star Katrin Cartlidge later became the namesake of a festival bursary supporting filmmakers.
Watson’s long association reflects the festival’s place in the region’s cultural life as well as its role in connecting audiences with films from different perspectives. Its awards and screenings help draw attention to filmmakers working in south-east Europe and beyond.