Emir Hadžihafizbegović


Emir Hadžihafizbegović is a Bosnian actor. Often regarded as one of the best Bosnian actors, he has appeared in over fifty films including When Father Was Away on Business, Remake, Fuse, Days and Hours, The Border Post, Grbavica, Armin, Death of a Man in the Balkans, Vegetarian Cannibal and These Are the Rules.
Hadžihafizbegović is a member of the Party of Democratic Action. He served as Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton from 2007 to 2011, and since 5 October 2019, has been part of the Presidency of SDA.

Early life and family

Hadžihafizbegović was born on 20 August 1961 in the city Tuzla, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, while it was a part of SFR Yugoslavia. His parents were Mustafa Hadžihafizbegović and Nizama Hadžihafizbegović. He has an older brother named Irfan.
Originally an aspiring sports reporter, Hadžihafizbegović moved to Sarajevo and entered the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo in 1982, receiving his diploma in 1986.

Acting career

He made his film debut as Fahro Zulfikarpašić in the film When Father Was Away on Business, written by Abdulah Sidran and directed by Emir Kusturica. Hadžihafizbegović 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. He revisited his role in Hajde da se volimo 3.
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.

Political career

He has been part of the Party of Democratic Action since its foundation. From 2007 until 2011, he held the position of Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, succeeding and being the predecessor of Ivica Šarić on the position. Since 5 October 2019, he has been part of the Presidency of SDA.

Personal life

Hadžihafizbegović's wife is Aida Hadžihafizbegović. Together they have two children: a son Edin and a daughter Amra.
In 2013, he received Croatian citizenship.

Controversies

YouTube video scandal

On January 12, 2020, the video of naked and drunk Hadžihafizbegović was posted on YouTube. Because of it, he has met with fierce criticism from media.

Fake Lord title

On January 31, 2020, Hadžihafizbegović announced that he had received the Lord title. Considering that he could not theoretically receive that title, it was revealed that he had purchased it online for $49.

Corruption scandal

On February 28, 2020, Hadžihafizbegović was in the middle of corruption scandal. On March 3, 2020, Party of Democratic Action, of which he is a member, has announced that he will not be a new Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton because of this affair.

Conflicts with journalists

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

Fatal car accident

Hadžihafizbegović was involved in a fatal car accident on the night of October 12, 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 March 11, 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 will 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 victims daughter Lana.

Achievements

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 September 6, 2014, he was awarded the "Venice Horizons Award for Best Actor or Actress" in the film These Are the Rules.

Filmography

Feature films