Diego Luna to be feted at Sarajevo as Ashes screens
Mexican actor Diego Luna will be feted at Sarajevo Film Festival's 32nd edition, running Aug. 14 to 21. He receives the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo for his career as Ashes, his Cannes-premiered directorial feature, screens, and he will also give a masterclass.
Key Takeaways
- Diego Luna will receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at the festival's 32nd edition, Aug. 14–21.
- His latest directorial feature, Ashes, which premiered at Cannes, will screen in Sarajevo.
- Luna will also give a masterclass during the celebration of his career.
- Festival director Jovan Marjanović cited Luna's path from Y tu mamá también to Hollywood and intimate Latin American stories.
- Streaming audiences know Luna from Andor, Narcos: México, and La Máquina.
Why is Diego Luna being feted at Sarajevo?
According to Variety, the Mexican actor, director and producer will receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo in recognition of his "outstanding career and indelible contribution to cinema."
Festival director Jovan Marjanović said a quarter of a century ago Luna won hearts with his performance in Alfonso Cuarón's Y tu mamá también (2001). Marjanović said the festival hoped then—and knows now—it was seeing an artist who would keep exploring, moving from major Hollywood productions to intimate human stories that reveal Latin American culture.
"Through his exceptional body of work, Diego Luna has left a profound mark on contemporary cinema, and it is our great honor to present him with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo," Marjanović said.
What will screen alongside the honor?
The festival will screen Ashes, Luna's latest directorial feature, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Luna will also give a masterclass for attendees.
Luna said he has wanted to go to Sarajevo for many years after hearing colleagues speak about the festival. "I feel honored with the recognition of my work and very excited to share Ashes with the audience," he said.
As a director, Luna debuted with the documentary J.C. Chávez (2007). His first narrative feature, Abel (2010), earned the Horizontes Latinos Award at San Sebastián and a Mexican Academy Award for best screenplay, which he co-wrote. He later directed Mr. Pig (2016), which premiered at Sundance.
How does this connect to Luna's streaming and screen work?
Fans following streaming and TV alerts will recognize Luna from Disney+'s Andor (2022), which he starred in and executive-produced. He earned two Golden Globe nominations and two Critics' Choice Award nominations for best actor across both seasons. The series earned eight Emmy nominations for its first season and 14 for its second season in 2025, including outstanding drama series.
Earlier streaming credits include Netflix's Narcos: México (2018), which brought a Critics' Choice nomination, and Hulu's La Máquina (2024), which he produced and starred in alongside Gael García Bernal—earning a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor. He also starred in Netflix's México 86, on which he serves as executive producer.
Other landmarks include Star Wars: Rogue One (2016) and Bread & Circus (2020), which won two Daytime Emmys. In 2025 he starred opposite Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in Bill Condon's Kiss of the Spider Woman. He is next set for the thriller Eleven Days and Disney's live-action Tangled.
Collaborations across his career include work with Steven Spielberg, David Trueba, Gus Van Sant, Harmony Korine and Agustín Díaz Yanes—underscoring why Sarajevo is marking the full arc of his film and TV impact.