Woody Harrelson Receives Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, Recalls City's Resilience

Superstar Woody Harrelson embraced the vibrant nightlife of Sarajevo while receiving an honorary award at the Sarajevo Film Festival. Still visibly tired from his festivities, he admitted that without acting, he might have pursued a life of crime.

Harrelson, the biggest star of this year's festival, walked the red carpet at the National Theatre, surrounded by global and regional film industry figures. While most guests engaged in organized events, masterclasses, and brief interviews, Harrelson seemed to operate by different rules. He eschewed morning interviews, appearing slow to articulate at a masterclass the following afternoon, only rousing himself with encouragement from the Sarajevo audience.

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I remember that first visit to Sarajevo. The destruction was still visible on every corner, but the people were so warm, so kind, and genuinely witty. I wouldn't have expected that after everything that happened, but I guess humor was something that kept them going.

He expressed deep gratitude to the audience and particularly enjoyed a surprise whiskey, reminiscent of the drink his character offered in "Welcome to Sarajevo," a film he shot there shortly after the siege ended. "I remember that first visit to Sarajevo. The destruction was still visible on every corner, but the people were so warm, so kind, and genuinely witty. I wouldn't have expected that after everything that happened, but I guess humor was something that kept them going," Harrelson recalled. He noted the city's transformation from desolate to bustling with life.

Harrelson also spoke fondly of his friend Guggi, the subject of a documentary screened at the festival, and the film "Welcome to Sarajevo," directed by Michael Winterbottom. He recalled the film's premiere twenty years prior, noting the city's desolation then compared to its current vibrancy. He was honored with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo for his contributions to film.

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The city was somehow empty then, not just devastated but empty, and now when I walk these streets, everything is teeming with life.