Harrelson said the award was a reminder of the days when he filmed a movie there shortly after the war, a film that, as he confirmed, still means a great deal to him.
"The Honorary Heart of Sarajevo award means more to me than any other I have received," Harrelson told an audience that had come to greet him and watch again the 1997 film Welcome to Sarajevo, directed by Michael Winterbottom.
The film tells the story of a war correspondent who, moved by the suffering of Sarajevo residents and frustrated by the international community's failure to respond more decisively, decides to take matters into his own hands and save one of the war orphans by smuggling the child to England.
SFF director Jovan Marjanović, presenting the award to Harrelson, said the film had helped the world understand the true nature of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the suffering of civilians. The Honorary Heart of Sarajevo was also awarded to Harrelson in recognition of his achievements as a major actor whose career has been marked by films that will be remembered forever.
In addition to winning an Emmy Award, he has been nominated for an Oscar three times, including for his leading role in The People vs. Larry Flynt.