Ray Winstone to Receive Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival

(Patria) - In recognition of his exceptional acting career and outstanding contribution to film art, Ray Winstone will receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival.

"He is an actor who has been captivating audiences for five decades with his great talent and extraordinary charisma. With sincerity and intensity that transcend the silver screen, he has gifted us with unforgettable characters. It is a pleasure to award the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo to Ray Winstone," said Jovan Marjanović, Director of the Sarajevo Film Festival.

British actor Ray Winstone is one of the most prolific actors in the United Kingdom, with over forty years in the industry. From blockbusters to independent films, Winstone's filmography is extensive – his latest roles include the Netflix film "The Lady," the British independent film "A Bit of Light," Marvel's "Black Widow," and Working Title's crime thriller "King of Thieves."

"Our passion for great stories and exceptional films is what unites us. The Sarajevo Film Festival continues to support cinema that transcends spectacle, offering depth and meaning. I look forward to seeing you in Sarajevo," said Ray Winstone.

In December 2007, Ray received the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution at the British Independent Film Awards, in recognition of his many iconic roles; from his debut in Alan Clarke's 1979 drama "Scum," to leading roles in Franc Roddam's "Quadrophenia," Ken Loach's "Ladybird, Ladybird," and "The Departed," Martin Scorsese's epic Oscar®-winning film. Winstone is also known for his leading role in Gary Oldman's gritty biographical drama "Nil by Mouth," for which he won the British Independent Film Award for Best Actor and was nominated for a BAFTA Award. In one of the best performances of his career, Winstone starred alongside Ben Kingsley in Jonathan Glazer's "Sexy Beast."

His other films include "Jawbone," "Cold Mountain," "The Gunman," "King Arthur," "The Proposition," "Breaking and Entering," "Beowulf," "Snow White and the Huntsman," "Sweeney Todd," "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Noah," "The Measure of a Man," "Ripley's Game," "Last Orders."

His television work includes the BBC adaptation of "Great Expectations," "The Trials of Jimmy Rose," and "Henry VIII" – which won the International Emmy Award for Best Mini-Series/TV Movie. For the title role in ITV's series "Vincent," he won the International Emmy Award for Best Actor.

Ray will next appear in the second season of Guy Ritchie's series "The Gentlemen," following last year's highly successful first season for Netflix.


The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival will be held from August 15 to 22, 2025.


Previous recipients of the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo:

Meg Ryan (2024), Alexander Payne (2024), John Turturro (2024), Philippe Bober (2024), Christof Papousek (2024), Mark Cousins (2023), Lynne Ramsay (2023), Charlie Kaufman (2023), Jesse Eisenberg (2022), Ruben Östlund (2022), Sergei Loznitsa (2022), Paul Joseph Schrader (2022), Wim Wenders (2021), Michel Franco (2020), Mads Mikkelsen (2020), Tim Roth (2019), Isabelle Huppert (2019), Alejandro González Iñárritu (2019), Paweł Pawlikowski (2019), Nijaz Hastor (2018), Nuri Bilge Ceylan (2018), Oliver Stone (2017), John Cleese (2017), Wolfgang Amadeus Brülhart (2016), Stephen Frears (2016), Robert De Niro (Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016), Benicio Del Toro (2015), Atom Egoyan (2015), Agnès B. (2015), Danis Tanović (2014), Gael García Bernal (2014), Béla Tarr (2013), Roberto Olla (2013), Branko Lustig (2012), Emil Tedeschi (2011), Jafar Panahi (2011), Angelina Jolie (2011), Dieter Kosslick (2010), Manfred Schmidt (2009), Cat Villiers (2008), Steve Buscemi (2007), Mike Leigh (2006), Gavrilo Grahovac (2006), Marco Müller (2005).