Farhadi Honored, Fears Cinema's 'Holy Ceremony' Fading

Filmmaker Asghar Farhadi has been honored with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo award at the Sarajevo Film Festival. He expressed his deep appreciation for the recognition, recalling his positive experiences with the festival's engaged audience from his time as jury president in 2018.

Farhadi stressed the critical importance of mid-tier film festivals such as Sarajevo, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, and San Sebastian. He believes these events are essential in supporting cinema amidst the growing dominance of streaming platforms.

The acclaimed director voiced concerns about the erosion of the traditional cinema-going experience. He described the act of families attending theaters together and discussing films as a "holy ceremony" that is increasingly threatened by individual viewing habits on personal devices.

Farhadi also advocated for cinema's role in society, particularly in challenging political climates, and expressed hope for the emerging generation of filmmakers. He believes cinema is evolving and finding new languages, rather than dying.

His latest film, Parallel Tales, which premiered at Cannes, has been sold worldwide. Farhadi is currently working on his next feature, though details remain undisclosed.