American actor and director John Turturro, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the film industry and his remarkable talent as an actor, director, and screenwriter, was presented with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema.
The Honorary Heart of Sarajevo was presented to Ryan by Jovan Marjanović, the director of the Sarajevo Film Festival.
„It is wonderful to be here, I feel very welcomed and very comfortable to be in a multicultural city. I think that the being in the art is difficult business, small like a circus, but it can help us to come together. This is what I did in my works, from humble beginnings and I tried to remain humble. This is a sign of encouragement to keep working like this“, said Turturro.
„John Turturro’s career is a testament to the transformative power of acting. From his memorable roles in films like ‘Barton Fink’, which we’ll see tonight, ‘To do the Right Thing’, ‘The Big Lebowski’, his brilliant performance in ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’… John Turturro inhibited a gallery of authentic characters, and that’s a rare gift. A gift that captivated audiences for decades. His work is characterized by emotional honesty, complexity and the ability to resimate with each of us“, said Marjanović.
The presentation of the Honorary Heart was followed by a screening of the 1991 film „Barton Fink“ by brothers Ethan and Joel Coen, in which Turturro played the critically acclaimed performance in the title role. The esteemed filmmaker previously held a masterclass during which he reflected on the key moments in his career, the motivation that led him to acting, but and the importance of taking care of mental health.
John Turturro has studied at SUNY New Paltz and the Yale School of Drama. He has worked with a number of acclaimed filmmakers, appearing in Spike Lee’s „Do the Right Thing“ and „Jungle Fever“, Martin Scorsese’s „The Color of Money“, Robert Redford’s „Quiz Show“, Francesco Rosi’s LA TREGUA, Robert De Niro’s „The Good Shepherd“, Tom DiCillo’s „Box Of Moonlight“ and Nanni Moretti’s „Mia madre“.
In 2004 he starred in „Secret Passage“, a historical drama by Bosnian director Ademir Kenović.
As a frequent collaborator with Joel and Ethan Coen, Turturro starred in several of their films. For his lead role in the Coen brothers’ „Barton Fink“, he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the David Donatello Award. He also appeared in their films „O Brother, Where Art Thou?“, „Miller’s Crossing“ and „The Big LebowskI“, where he played the iconic character Jesus Quintana. In 2020 Turturro reprised Quintana in „The Jesus Rolls“, a film he wrote, directed and starred in.
He received the Camera D’Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival for „Mac“, his directorial debut. Other films as director/ writer include „Illuminata“, „Romance & Cigarettes“, „Passione“, „Fading Gigolo“, and „The Jesus Roles“.
On Television, Turturro was nominated for a SAG Award for his portrayal of Howard Cosell in „Monday Night Mayhem“ and again nominated for „The Bronx Is Burning“. He won an Emmy Award for his guest appearance on „Monk“ and was nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG Award on HBO’s „The Night Of“. He will be seen on season 2 of Apple’s series „Severance“.
