Emir Hadžihafizbegović

Emir Hadžihafizbegović (Bosnian pronunciation: [ˈemir ˈhaʤiˈhafizˌbegovitɕ] ; born 20 August 1961) is a Bosnian actor. Often regarded as one of the best actors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, he has appeared in over fifty films, including When Father Was Away on Business (1985), Remake (2003), Fuse (2003), Days and Hours (2004), The Border Post (2006), Grbavica (2006), Armin (2007), Vegetarian Cannibal (2012) and Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020).

For his role as struggling husband and father Ivo in the drama film These Are the Rules (2014), Hadžihafizbegović was awarded the Best Actor or Actress Award at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. He was also nominated for a Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival for the same role.

Hadžihafizbegović is an avid supporter and member of the Bosniak nationalist and conservative Party of Democratic Action.

Hadžihafizbegović was born on 20 August 1961 in the city Tuzla, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, while it was a part of FPR Yugoslavia. His parents were Mustafa (born 1929) and Nizama. He has an older brother named Irfan.

Originally an aspiring sports reporter, Hadžihafizbegović moved to Sarajevo and entered the Academy of Performing Arts in 1982, receiving his diploma in 1986.

Hadžihafizbegović made his film debut as Fahro Zulfikarpašić in the film When Father Was Away on Business (1985), written by Abdulah Sidran and directed by Emir Kusturica. He appeared in two television films and a guest role on a Yugoslav television series before landing the role of a bartender from Bosansko Grahovo in the 1987 film Hajde da se volimo 2 with Bosnian pop star Lepa Brena, as well popular Yugoslav actors Bata Živojinović and Dragomir Bojanić. Hadžihafizbegović revisited his role in Hajde da se volimo 3 (1990).

His career went on hiatus in 1992 due to the breakup of Yugoslavia and the breakout of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hadžihafizbegović reappeared in Bosnian cinema in the 2003 war film Remake, by screenwriter Zlatko Topčić. Since that film, Hadžihafizbegović has appeared in 40 more films, mostly as a lead role and in some sitcoms as well, most notably Lud, zbunjen, normalan and Konak kod Hilmije.

Hadžihafizbegović has been part of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) since its foundation. From 2007 until 2011, he held the position of Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton. Since 5 October 2019, Hadžihafizbegović has been part of the Presidency of the SDA.

Hadžihafizbegović was involved in a fatal car accident on the night of 12 October 2014 in the village Bročice near Novska, Croatia, when he accidentally hit the driver and one of the two passengers of another car who were standing on the left side of the highway repairing a flat tire. One of the people he hit was 63-year-old Ankica Kuduz, mother of Croatian model Lana Kuduz, who died soon after of her injuries in a Nova Gradiška hospital. The driver and Hadžihafizbegović were also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

On 11 March 2016, Hadžihafizbegović admitted guilt and was put on probation for four years and sentenced to one year imprisonment by the Municipal Criminal Court in Sisak, which would be suspended if he does not commit another criminal offense by 2020. Expert witness testimony at the trial also established that the actor had exceeded the speed limit the night of the accident and had attempted to drive around a parked car. Following the crash, Hadžihafizbegović befriended the victim's daughter, Lana.

On 28 February 2020, Hadžihafizbegović found himself in the middle of a corruption scandal. On 3 March 2020, the Party of Democratic Action, of which he is a member, announced that Hadžihafizbegović would not be the new Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton because of the scandal.[10]

On 19 January 2018, Hadžihafizbegović insulted and then kicked a journalist out of his office.[11] On 5 March 2020, the video of Hadžihafizbegović insulting a journalist after a question about dubious allocation of funds of the Foundation for Cinematography of which he is a board member was posted on YouTube.[12]

On 31 January 2020, Hadžihafizbegović announced that he had received a lordship title. Considering that he could not theoretically receive that title, it was revealed that he had purchased it online for $49.[13]

Hadžihafizbegović's wife is Aida. Together they have two children: a son Edin (born 1990) and a daughter Amra (born 1994).

In 2013, he received Croatian citizenship.[14]

Hadžihafizbegović received the Golden Arena for Best Actor at the Pula Film Festival and Best Actor Award at the Durban International Film Festival. On the final day of the 71st Venice International Film Festival on 6 September 2014, he was awarded the Venice Horizons Award for Best Actor or Actress in the film These Are the Rules.[15]