John Turturro, one of this year’s recipients of an honorary award for his professional achievements, took the time between his sold-out master class and the presentation of an open-air performance of “Barton Fink” to diversity Lounge, presented by Sarajevo Film Festival and BH Telecom.
Turturro, who said he was visiting the Bosnian capital for the first time, described visiting various mosques, the Jewish Museum, the Great Synagogue, the Jewish cemetery and other historical sites.
Turturro, who has starred in two of the fall film festival’s most anticipated films, spoke about his role as Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton’s ex-boyfriend in Pedro Almodóvar’s upcoming English-language film “The Room Next Door.” He will travel to Toronto to support that film and Sean Ellis’ “The Cut.”
Turturro mentioned the benefits of a long-term relationship with a filmmaker, noting, “It’s a huge advantage because you develop a certain level of trust in each other.” He also praised the late Italian filmmaker Francesco Rosi, for whom he played Primo Levi in ”The Truce.”
As a writer and director, Turturro noted that his experiences working with other filmmakers naturally influenced his approach behind the camera. He also talked about his directing work on “Mac” and “Romance & Cigarettes” and a little about what influences his choice of roles.
Turturro also shared anecdotes about his roles in “Transformers” and “The Batman” and talked about some of his longer-form TV roles. As for his next plans, Turturro said, “I have a few things I’ve been working on. It all depends on when I get the right cast and get enough money so I have the opportunity to not have to rush it.”
