Asghar Farhadi
Iranian filmmaker known for intimate family dramas.
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Asghar Farhadi (born 7 May 1972) is an Iranian screenwriter and film director. Widely regarded as a leading figure in both Iranian and global cinema of the 21st century, his work is known for exploring the human condition through intimate, challenging stories about family conflicts. His accolades include two Academy Awards, a Golden Bear, and a Prix du scénario. In 2012, Time magazine named him one of the world’s 100 most influential people, and France awarded him the Legion of Honour that same year.
Lore & Background
Farhadi was born in Homayoon Shahr, a city located in the Isfahan province near the city of Isfahan. At age 15, in 1987, he joined the Isfahan branch office of the Iranian Youth Cinema Society, which had been established 4 years earlier, and he made several short films. He holds a BA in dramatic arts from University of Tehran and an MA in stage direction from Tarbiat Modares University.
He made his directorial film debut with the drama Dancing in the Dust (2003), followed by The Beautiful City (2004) and Fireworks Wednesday (2006). He gained acclaim for his film About Elly (2009), earning a Silver Bear for Best Director at the 59th International Berlin Film Festival. Film theorist and critic David Bordwell has called About Elly a masterpiece.
Reader's Guide
Farhadi became one of the few directors worldwide to have won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film twice, for the family drama A Separation (2011) and the moral drama The Salesman (2016), the latter of which also received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay. A Separation premiered at the 29th Fajr International Film Festival and won the Golden Bear at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival, becoming the first Iranian film to win that award. It also won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and the César Award for Best Foreign Film.
In 2012, Farhadi was included on the annual Time 100 list and received the Legion of Honour from France. He earned acclaim for The Past (2013), filmed in France, and Everybody Knows (2018), filmed in Spain. He returned to Iran with A Hero (2021), which earned him the Cannes Film Festival's Grand Prix.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Asghar Farhadi's most acclaimed films?
His two most internationally celebrated works are A Separation and The Salesman, both of which earned him the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. These films are noted for their deep exploration of personal and family tensions within everyday Iranian life.
How many Academy Awards has Asghar Farhadi won?
Farhadi has received two Oscars, both in the Best International Feature Film category, for A Separation and The Salesman. He has also been honored with a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and a Prix du scénario.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Asghar Farhadi (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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