His films have gained recognition for their focus on the human condition, and portrayals of intimate and challenging stories of internal family conflicts.
Iranian film director and screenwriter Asghar Farhadi will be a special guest at the Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film. The festival’s “First and Latest” section, which highlights seasoned filmmakers, will feature Farhadi, showcasing the evolution of his cinematic language over the years. Farhadi will guide viewers through his journey, sharing experiences that have shaped his visual and narrative style, culminating in his latest works. He will discuss lessons learned throughout his career, the challenges he faced, and how they contributed to his growth as a director.
In the introduction to his book Seven Screenplays, Farhadi wrote: “I reviewed all my screenplays, searching for one common thread amongst them all, and found that the biggest commonality is the “question”. I started by asking questions, then my questions grew bigger and heavier over time, and their facets multiplied (…). Our world needs those who ask questions more than those who volunteer to give answers; it needs those who place a question mark before anything, no matter how definitive it appears.”
Asghar Farhadi is one of the most prominent cinematic voices in Iran. Born on May 7, 1972, in Isfahan, Farhadi showed a passion for the arts from an early age, especially cinema. He earned a bachelor’s degree in dramatic arts from the University of Tehran in 1988, followed by a master’s degree in theatre direction.
Farhadi began his cinematic career with his first feature film, Dancing in the Dust in 2003. His international fame grew with his fourth film, About Elly in 2009, which won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival.
In 2011, his film A Separation premiered at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival, winning the Golden Bear for Best Film, making it the first Iranian film to win this award. The following year, A Separation won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and became the first Iranian film to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards. The film also won the César Award for Best Foreign Film, bringing its total awards to 88.
In 2013, his film The Past was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Three years later, he returned with The Salesman, which competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes and won Farhadi the award for Best Screenplay. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for the second time. In 2018, his film Everybody Knows was selected as the opening film for the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Palme d’Or.
In 2021, Farhadi won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival for his film A Hero, sharing the award with Compartment No. 6 by Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen.
Asghar Farhadi has significantly enhanced the status of Iranian cinema on the international stage. His films are known for their narrative style that addresses social and ethical issues through multi-dimensional and realistic characters. Farhadi uses everyday tensions and intricate details to build dramatic plots that explore themes such as honour, justice, and human relationships.
On Tuesday, July 9 at 8 PM, the film festival will host a conversation with Asghar Farhadi.
