John Turturro, this year's recipient of the Heart of Sarajevo Honorary Award for Professional Achievement, took time between his sold-out master class and an outdoor screening of “Barton Fink” to visit diverse A hall provided by Sarajevo Film Festival and BH Telecom.
Turturro, who said he was making his first visit to the Bosnian capital, said he visited several mosques, the Jewish Museum, the Great Synagogue and the Jewish Cemetery, among other historical sites.
Turturro, who stars in two of the most anticipated films at the fall film festival, talked about playing the ex-lover of Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton in Pedro Almodóvar's upcoming English-language film “The Room Next Door.” He'll be in Toronto to support that film and Sean Ellis's “The Pieces.”
Turturro spoke about the benefits of having a long-term relationship with a filmmaker, noting that it is “a huge advantage because you develop a level of trust between you.” He also praised the late Italian director Francesco Rosi, who played Primo Levi in ”The Truce.”
As a writer and director, Turturro noted that his experience acting with other filmmakers naturally influenced his approach behind the camera. He also discussed directing Mack and Romance & Cigarettes and a little bit about what guides his choice of roles.
Turturro also shared anecdotes about his roles in “Transformers” and “The Batman” and discussed some of his long-running TV series. As for what he’s working on next, Turturro said, “I have a few things I’m working on. It all depends on whether or not there’s something else I can do.” [on] “When I can get the right team in place and I can get enough funding so that I have the opportunity to not have to rush into it.”
