Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco receives Heart of Sarajevo Award
Director Michel Franco (L), winner of the Best Screenplay Prize for his film "Chronic" poses with actor Tim Roth at the Palm D'Or Winners press conference during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2015, in Cannes, France. (Getty Images)


Michel Franco could not receive the Heart of Sarajevo Award that he won at last year's Sarajevo Film Festival, held online due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Mexican director received his award late Thursday at this year’s festival, kicked off Friday and running until Aug. 30.

The 42-year-old director's 2020 dystopian drama, "New Order," was screened on the fifth day of the 27th Sarajevo Film Festival.

This year's Heart of Sarajevo Award was given to world-renowned German director Wim Wenders for his many contributions.

The 27th Sarajevo Film Festival features 47 movies in four categories.

The festival began 27 years ago to make the city a destination of culture and art again and help heal the memories of the bloody 1990s Bosnian War.

It features 10 short and nine feature films as well as 10 documentaries and 12 student films.

The festival will also feature world premieres of 18 films, international premieres of three films, a European premiere, regional premieres of 24 films and a film from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Attendees at past festivals include such luminaries as Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Daniel Craig, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Gerard Depardieu and Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan.