Noomi Rapace, who serves on the jury of the competition in Sarajevo, visited the Variety Lounge of the Sarajevo Film Festival and BH Telecom to share her history with the Balkan region.

Although it is her first time in Sarajevo, Rapace grew up watching films from the Balkan region and praises their courage and passion. She noted that the Sarajevo Film Festival, “maybe one of the most important film festivals because of the power of movies and what art can do to people and how you can explore stories and characters and see situations and hearts that you would never know about.”

She reflected on her role in Macedonian-Australian director Goran Stolevski's "You Are Never Alone," describing how he made her feel safe despite having scenes where she was completely naked. She noted that Goran "is a fascinating and very gentle director, but with a very strong vision."

Rapace is drawn to filmmakers and stories no matter where they are set. She says she will bring her own truth to them no matter where they are set. She likes directors who are willing to explore a genre and go all in.