This year’s edition (the 19th) of Sarajevo Film Festival had the presence of prominent actor, producer and humanitarian, Danny Glover.

The actor was one of the panelists at the Sarajevo Talent Campus, where he conducted a workshop on August 21st.

Danny Glover is also the curator of the Katrin Cartlidge Foundation Award for 2013 and this year’s winner of the award is afro-descendant filmmaker Dyana Gaye, with the short film Deweneti. Dyana was born in Paris in 1975 from Senegalese parentage.

Deweneti (Happy New Year in Wolof) tells the story of Ousmane, a beggar in the streets of Dakar and young kuranic student, who despite the hardships of life always has a smile to spare for the passerby who takes pity on him.

One day he decides to write a letter to Father Christmas to ask him for help to give back to his benefactors, an easy task to achieve if it wasn’t for the fact that Ousmane can’t read and write.

Deweneti is an award-winning short film that celebrates the ability to express and feel gratitude and was nominated for the prestigious César awards for best short film in 2008.

Meanwhile, Dyana’s feature film debut Des Etoilles will make its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.

Watch Danny Glover’s inspiring speech.