Willem Dafoe is set to receive an Honorary Heart of Sarajevo award at the upcoming Sarajevo Film Festival for his contribution to film.
The Poor Things actor, who has been involved in more than 150 films in his career across studio and independent systems, is also set to hold a masterclass at Sarajevo, where he will share his experience and reflections on art today with a festival audience.
In 1979, Dafoe was given a role in Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, from which he was fired. Since then, he has collaborated with a long list of some of the most renowned directors in modern cinema including Wes Anderson, Kathryn Bigelow, Tim Burton, David Cronenberg, Spike Lee, Abel Ferrara, Werner Herzog, David Lynch, Hayao Miyazaki, Martin Scorsese, Guillermo del Toro, Lars von Trier and Yorgos Lanthimos among many others.
He’s been nominated for four Oscars for his roles in films such as At Eternity’s Gate, Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire and The Florida Project. He has also been awarded by the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review as well as twice by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Dafoe is also the recipient of two Independent Spirit Awards, the Venice Film Festival Volpi Cup and a Berlinale Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement. He was recently awarded the Iris Award for Best Actor from Greece’s Hellenic Film Academy for his role in Vasilis Katsoupis’ Inside. He can next be seen in Bárbara Paz’s Cuddle, Robert Eggers’ Werwulf and an additional collaboration with Eggers for A Christmas Carol for Warner Bros.
Dafoe was recently named the Artistic Director of the theatre department for Venice Biennale’s 2025 and 2026 seasons. He was one of the original members of The Wooster Group, the New York based experimental theatre collective and created and performed in all of the group’s work from 1977 through 2005.
“Willem Dafoe returns to the Sarajevo Film Festival after 25 years and it is a great honor and pleasure for us to present him with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo,” said Jovan Marjanović, Director of the Sarajevo Film Festival. “His body of work is something to which every actor aspires. Every time he steps in front of the camera, he demonstrates that he is a true master of his craft. Whether starring in a Hollywood blockbuster or a low-budget independent film, his characters are always complex, emotional and unforgettable.”
The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival will take place from August 15-22, 2025.
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