Meg Ryan to Be Honored at Sarajevo Film Fest, Screen ‘What Happens Later’

Meg Ryan is set to receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award at the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival, recognizing her significant contributions to the film industry.

The beloved actress will also present a special screening of her 1998 romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, co-starring Tom Hanks. This screening will take place at the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema, the same venue where the film first made its debut 25 years ago at the festival’s 5th event.

As part of the festivities, Ryan will hold a masterclass moderated by Bosnian director Danis Tanović, known for his Oscar-winning film No Man’s Land. Additionally, her latest work, 2023’s What Happens Later, will also be featured at the festival. The Bleecker Street Media film, starring Ryan alongside David Duchovny, is directed and written by Ryan herself, marking her second directorial project.

“Meg Ryan had our hearts at hello!” said Jovan Marjanović, director of the Sarajevo Film Festival. “Not only has she charmed us all with her unforgettable performances, but she has also proven her prowess behind the camera as a director and screenwriter. It is our honor to present her with the Heart of Sarajevo.”

Ryan first captured hearts and critical acclaim with her performance in Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron’s When Harry Met Sally. She later teamed up with Ephron again for Sleepless in Seattle, earning several Golden Globe nominations.

Ryan’s dramatic roles have also garnered praise, including her portrayal of a military woman nominated for a Medal of Honor in Courage Under Fire opposite Denzel Washington, directed by Ed Zwick. Her role as an alcohol addict in Luis Mandoki’s When a Man Loves a Woman, opposite Andy Garcia, also received acclaim. Furthermore, she earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance with Kiefer Sutherland in the Sundance Institute’s Promised Land.