Asghar Farhadi
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Asghar Farhadi ( fa, اصغر فرهادی, ; born 7 May 1972)Soureh Movie Database
is an Iranian film director and screenwriter. He has received critical acclaim for his international films which focus on the human condition as well as portray intimate and challenging stories of internal family conflicts. His films include the dramas ''
About Elly ''About Elly'' ( fa, درباره الی, translit. ''Dar bāre-ye Elly'') is a 2009 Iranian drama film. The fourth film by filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, the film examines middle class relationships in Iran. It received universal acclaim. Farhad ...
'' (2009), ''
A Separation ''A Separation'' ( fa, جدایی, Jodâyi; also titled ''Nader and Simin, A Separation'') is a 2011 Iranian drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, starring Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat, and Sarina Farhad ...
'' (2011), '' The Past'' (2013), '' The Salesman'' (2016), '' Everybody Knows'' (2018), and ''
A Hero ''A Hero'' ( fa, قهرمان, Qahremaan) is a 2021 drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi. Starring Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh and Sahar Goldoost. In June 2021, the film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or. At the 2021 Can ...
'' (2021). Farhadi's films ''A Separation'' (2011) and ''The Salesman'' (2016) are both recipients of the
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
for
Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
, making him one of the few directors worldwide who have won the category twice. He also received the
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay The Best Screenplay Award (french: Prix du scénario) is an award presented by the Jury to the best screenwriter for their work on a film of the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was first awarded in 1949. Winners See also ...
for his film ''The Salesman''. In 2021, he received the Cannes Film Festival's Grand Prix for his film ''A Hero''. In 2012, he was included on the annual ''Time'' 100 list of the most influential people in the world. That same year he also received the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
from France.


Early life

Farhadi was born in Homayoon Shahr, a city located in the Isfahan Province near the city of
Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...
. At the age of 15, in 1987, he joined the Isfahan branch office of the Iranian Youth Cinema Society, which had been established for 4 years earlier and he made several short films. He is also a graduate of theatre, with a BA in dramatic arts and MA in
stage direction In theatre, blocking is the precise staging of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. Historically, the expectations of staging/blocking have changed substantially over time in Western theater. Prior to the movemen ...
from
University of Tehran The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...
and
Tarbiat Modares University Tarbiat Modares University ( fa, دانشگاه تربیت مدرس:  ''Dāneshgāh-e Tarbiyat Modares'', lit. "Professor Training University") is an exclusively graduate university with its main campus in Tehran, Iran. It was founded in 1982 a ...
, respectively.


Career


Early films

At the start of his career, Farhadi made numerous short 8 mm and
16 mm 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, edu ...
films in the Isfahan branch of the Iranian Young Cinema Society, before moving on to writing plays and screenplays for
IRIB The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB; fa, صدا و سيمای جمهوری اسلامی ايران, ''Sedā va Sīmā-ye Jomhūri-ye Eslāmi-ye Īrān'', , formerly called National Iranian Radio and Television until the Iranian rev ...
. He also directed such TV series as ''A Tale of a City'' and co-wrote the screenplay for
Ebrahim Hatamikia Ibrahim (also spelled Ibraheem) ( ar, إبراهيم, ) is the Arabic name of the prophet and patriarch Abraham and one of Allah's messengers in the Quran. It is a common first name and surname among Muslims and Arab Christians, a cognate of the ...
's ''
Low Heights ''Low Heights'' (in Persian: ارتفاع پست, transliteration: Ertefa'e Past) is a 2002 Iranian thriller film directed by Ebrahim Hatamikia and starring Hamid Farrokhnezhad, Leila Hatami, Amir Aghaei, Reza Shafiee Jam, and Gohar Kheirandish. ...
''. In 2003, Farhadi made his feature film debut with '' Dancing in the Dust''. He followed with ''
The Beautiful City ''The Beautiful City'' ( fa, شهر زیبا /Shahr-e Ziba/) is a 2004 Iranian drama film directed by Asghar Farhadi. Plot Akbar celebrates his 18th birthday in the detention centre. He has been held in a rehabilitation centre for committing mur ...
'', released in 2004. His third film, ''
Fireworks Wednesday ''Fireworks Wednesday'' ( fa, چهارشنبه‌سوری, italic=yes, ''Čahâršanbe-Suri'') is a 2006 Iranian drama film directed by Asghar Farhadi and co-written by Farhadi and Mani Haghighi. It stars Hedieh Tehrani, Taraneh Alidoosti, and Ha ...
'', won the Gold Hugo at the 2006
Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...
.


''About Elly'' (2009)

In 2009, Farhadi directed his fourth film, ''
About Elly ''About Elly'' ( fa, درباره الی, translit. ''Dar bāre-ye Elly'') is a 2009 Iranian drama film. The fourth film by filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, the film examines middle class relationships in Iran. It received universal acclaim. Farhad ...
'', which won him the
Silver Bear for Best Director The Silver Bear for Best Director (german: Silberner Bär/Bester Regie) is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury ...
at the 59th International
Berlin Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
and also Best Picture at the
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by TriBeCa Productions, Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive progra ...
. The latter film is about a group of
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ians who take a trip to the Iranian beaches of
Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia ...
that turns tragic.
Film theorist Film theory is a set of scholarly approaches within the academic discipline of film or cinema studies that began in the 1920s by questioning the formal essential attributes of motion pictures; and that now provides conceptual frameworks for unde ...
and critic
David Bordwell David Jay Bordwell (; born July 23, 1947) is an American film theorist and film historian. Since receiving his PhD from the University of Iowa in 1974, he has written more than fifteen volumes on the subject of cinema including ''Narration in th ...
has called ''About Elly'' a masterpiece.


''A Separation'' (2011)

His film ''
A Separation ''A Separation'' ( fa, جدایی, Jodâyi; also titled ''Nader and Simin, A Separation'') is a 2011 Iranian drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, starring Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat, and Sarina Farhad ...
'' premiered on 9 February 2011 at the 29th
Fajr International Film Festival Iran's annual Fajr International Film Festival ( fa, جشنواره بین‌المللی فیلم فجر), or Fajr Film Festival (little: FIFF; fa, جشنواره فیلم فجر), has been held every February and April in Tehran since 1982. T ...
in
Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
and received critical acclaim from the Iran Society of Film Critics. It earned Farhadi four awards including Best Director (for the third time after ''
Fireworks Wednesday ''Fireworks Wednesday'' ( fa, چهارشنبه‌سوری, italic=yes, ''Čahâršanbe-Suri'') is a 2006 Iranian drama film directed by Asghar Farhadi and co-written by Farhadi and Mani Haghighi. It stars Hedieh Tehrani, Taraneh Alidoosti, and Ha ...
'' and ''
About Elly ''About Elly'' ( fa, درباره الی, translit. ''Dar bāre-ye Elly'') is a 2009 Iranian drama film. The fourth film by filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, the film examines middle class relationships in Iran. It received universal acclaim. Farhad ...
''). On 15 February 2011, it also played in competition at the
61st Berlin International Film Festival The 61st annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 10 to 20 February 2011, with actress Isabella Rossellini as the President of the Jury. The Coen Brothers film ''True Grit'' opened the festival. 300,000 tickets were sold in total ...
, which received a
Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The winn ...
for best film, becoming the first Iranian film to win that award. In June 2011, ''A Separation'' won the Sydney Film Prize in competition with Cannes Festival's winner ''
The Tree of Life ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'', directed by
Terrence Malick Terrence Frederick Malick (born November 30, 1943) is an American filmmaker. His films include '' Days of Heaven'' (1978), '' The Thin Red Line'' (1998), for which he received Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenp ...
. It also won the Best Film award at the 2011
Asia Pacific Screen Awards The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) is an international cultural initiative overseen by the Asia Pacific Screen Academy and headquartered in Australia. In order to realise UNESCO's goals of promoting and preserving the different cultures th ...
. On 19 December 2011, Farhadi was announced as being a
jury A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartiality, impartial verdict (a Question of fact, finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a sentence (law), penalty o ...
member for the
62nd Berlin International Film Festival The 62nd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 9 to 19 February 2012. British film director Mike Leigh was the President of the Jury. The first five films to be screened in the competition were announced on 19 December 2011. Am ...
, which was held in February 2012. On 15 January 2012, ''A Separation'' won the
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for the Best Foreign Language Film. The film was also the official Iranian submission for the
Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
at the 2012 Academy Awards where, in addition to being
nominated A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * ...
in this category, it was also nominated in the
Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...
category. On 26 February 2012, ''A Separation'' became the first Iranian movie to win the
Academy Award for Best International Feature Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
, at the
84th Academy Awards The 84th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2011 in the United States and took place on February 26, 2012, at the Hollywood and Highland Center Theatre in ...
. This marked Farhadi as the first Iranian to have won an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
in any of the competitive categories. He was invited to join the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...
in June 2012, along with 175 other members. ''A Separation'' also won the
César Award for Best Foreign Film This is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Foreign Film (french: César du meilleur film étranger). Winners and nominees 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Awards by nation Notes See also *Lumières A ...
and the
Independent Spirit Award for Best International Film The Independent Spirit Award for Best International Film is an award presented annually at the Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Aw ...
in 2012.


''The Past'' (2013)

In 2013, Farhadi's film '' The Past'' starring
Bérénice Bejo Bérénice Bejo (; born 7 July 1976) is a French-Argentine actress best known for playing Christiana in ''A Knight's Tale'' (2001) and Peppy Miller in '' The Artist'' (2011). Her work in the latter earned her a nomination for the Academy Award ...
and
Tahar Rahim Tahar Rahim (born 4 July 1981) is a Franco-Algerian actor. He is known for his starring role as Malik El Djebena in the 2009 award-winning French movie '' A Prophet'' by Jacques Audiard, FBI Agent Ali Soufan in '' The Looming Tower'', Judas in ...
was released. This would be Farhadi's first film in the French language. The film competed for the
Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
at the
2013 Cannes Film Festival The 66th Cannes Film Festival took place in Cannes, France, from 15 to 26 May 2013. Steven Spielberg was the head of the jury for the main competition. New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the Cinéfondation and S ...
. Bejo won the Best Actress Award at Cannes for her performance in the film. The film received universal critical acclaim. It holds a 93% "certified fresh" rating on
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, based on 144 reviews with a
weighted average The weighted arithmetic mean is similar to an ordinary arithmetic mean (the most common type of average), except that instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others. The ...
score of 8.2/10 and the site's consensus: "Beautifully written, sensitively directed, and powerfully acted, ''The Past'' serves as another compelling testament to Asghar Farhadi's gift for finely layered drama." On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, the film has a normalized score of 85 out of 100 based on 41 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". The film was selected as the Iranian entry for the
Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
at the
86th Academy Awards The 86th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2013 and took place on March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. ...
, but it was not nominated.


''The Salesman'' (2016)

His 2016 film '' The Salesman'', starring
Shahab Hosseini Seyyed Shahabedin Hosseini Tonekaboni ( fa, سید شهاب الدین حسینی تنکابنی; born February 3, 1974) is an Iranian actor, producer and director. He is known for his collaborations with Iranian Academy Award-winning director ...
and Taraneh Alidoosti, competed for the
Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
at the
2016 Cannes Film Festival The 69th Cannes Film Festival was held from 11 to 22 May 2016. Australian director George Miller was the President of the Jury for the main competition. French actor Laurent Lafitte was the host for the opening and closing ceremonies. On 15 Marc ...
, where it won two awards: Best Actor for Shahab Hosseini and Best Screenplay for Farhadi. On 26 February 2017, Farhadi won his second Oscar for
Academy Award for Best International Feature Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
for '' The Salesman'' at the 89th Academy Awards. ''The Salesman'' had already won the award for the Best Screenplay at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. Following Donald Trump's
executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of th ...
barring Iranians from entering the country, Farhadi said he would not attend the 2017 Academy Awards, despite being nominated, and then winning, for the best foreign-language film. He announced that two prominent Iranian Americans,
Anousheh Ansari Anousheh Ansari ( fa, انوشه انصاری ; née Raissyan; born September 12, 1966) is an Iranian American engineer and co-founder and chairwoman of Prodea Systems. Her previous business accomplishments include serving as co-founder and CEO o ...
and Firouz Naderi would represent him in the ceremony. Anousheh Ansari is famed for being the first female space tourist and first Iranian in space, and Naderi as director of Solar Systems Exploration at
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
. A few hours before the ceremony, he addressed a group of protesters in London via a video link from Iran. The Mayor of London,
Sadiq Khan Sadiq Aman Khan (; born 8 October 1970) is a British politician serving as Mayor of London since 2016. He was previously Member of Parliament (MP) for Tooting from 2005 until 2016. A member of the Labour Party, Khan is on the party's sof ...
, screened the movie publicly in
Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, laid out in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. At its centre is a high column bearing a statue of Admiral Nelson commemo ...
as a celebration of the city's diversity. "This solidarity is off to a great start", he told them. "I hope this movement will continue and spread, for it has within itself the power to stand up to fascism, be victorious in the face of extremism and say no to oppressive political powers everywhere." After winning the
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for the second time, Farhadi had a prepared statement read by
Anousheh Ansari Anousheh Ansari ( fa, انوشه انصاری ; née Raissyan; born September 12, 1966) is an Iranian American engineer and co-founder and chairwoman of Prodea Systems. Her previous business accomplishments include serving as co-founder and CEO o ...
. "I'm sorry I'm not with you tonight", Farhadi's statement read. "My absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of the other six nations who have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S. Dividing the world into the us and our enemies categories creates fear, a deceitful justification for aggression and war. These wars prevent democracy and human rights in countries which themselves have been victims of aggression. Filmmakers can turn their cameras to capture shared human qualities and break stereotypes of various nationalities and religions. They create empathy between us and others -- an empathy that we need today more than ever." Prior to the ceremony, all five directors nominated for foreign language film issued a joint statement, obtained by ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'', that condemned "the climate of fanaticism and nationalism" in the United States, among other countries. The directors – Farhadi,
Maren Ade Maren Ade (; born 12 December 1976) is a German film director, screenwriter and producer. Ade lives in Berlin, teaching screenwriting at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg. Together with Janine Jackowski and Jonas Dornbach, she ...
(''
Toni Erdmann Toni, Toñi or Tóni is a unisex given name. In Spanish, Italian, Croatian and Finnish, it is a masculine given name used as a short form of the names derived from Antonius like Antonio, Ante or Anttoni. In Danish, English, Finnish, Norwegia ...
''),
Hannes Holm Hannes Martin Holm (born 26 November 1962 in Lidingö), is a Swedish director and screenwriter. He makes almost all of his films with Måns Herngren. Selected filmography *1983 - ''Interrail'' *1983 - '' Vidöppet'' (Wide Open) (TV-series) *1 ...
('' A Man Called Ove''),
Martin Zandvliet Martin Pieter Zandvliet (born 7 January 1971 in Fredericia) is a Danish film director and screenwriter. Career Zandvliet originally began as an editor, before writing and directing the documentary ''Angels of Brooklyn'' in 2002. His first ...
(''
Land of Mine ''Land of Mine'' ( da, Under sandet, lit=Under the Sand) is a 2015 historical war drama film directed by Martin Zandvliet. It was shown in the Platform section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. It was selected and nominated for ...
'') and
Bentley Dean Bentley Dean is an Australian documentarian, director, producer, cinematographer, and filmmaker. Career Dean appeared in Race Around the World in 1997. He is known for his collaborations with director Martin Butler. Dean has earned critical ...
and Martin Butler ('' Tanna'') – said that no matter which film wins, the Oscar is dedicated to "all the people, artists, journalists and activists who are working to foster unity and understanding, and who uphold freedom of expression and human dignity – values whose protection is now more important than ever."


''Everybody Knows'' (2018)

In 2018, Farhadi directed his eighth feature film titled, '' Everybody Knows'' starring
Javier Bardem Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (; born 1 March 1969) is a Spanish actor. Known for his roles in Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and foreign films, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the psychopath, ...
,
Penélope Cruz Penélope Cruz Sánchez (; ; born 28 April 1974) is a Spanish actress. Known for her roles in films of several genres, particularly those in the Spanish language, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British A ...
and Ricardo Darin. The film, a Spanish psychological thriller debuted at the
71st Cannes Film Festival The 71st annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 8 to 19 May 2018. Australian actress Cate Blanchett acted as President of the Jury. The Japanese film ''Shoplifters'', directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, won the Palme d'Or. Asghar Farhadi's psycho ...
where it played in competition for the
Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
. At the Toronto premiere of ''Everybody Knows'', the director shared with ''Ikon London Magazine'' his plans to "Come to London West End with his play". He said "I know there is a lot of great plays every day. And I wish one day I do a play there. It is not far. It is our plan." The film has earned critical acclaim earning a 78% on
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, with critics praising the two leads, but adding that the film is below Farhadi's usually high standards.


''A Hero'' (2021)

''
A Hero ''A Hero'' ( fa, قهرمان, Qahremaan) is a 2021 drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi. Starring Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh and Sahar Goldoost. In June 2021, the film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or. At the 2021 Can ...
'' is Farhadi's 9th feature film. Alexandre Mallet-Guy co-produced the work. This film was shot in
Marvdasht Marvdasht ( fa, مرودشت, also romanized as Marv Dasht) is a city and the capital of Marvdasht County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 123,858, in 29,134 families. Name Some historians hold that Marvdasht was o ...
, Iran, and narrates a social theme. In this film, Amir Jadidi,
Mohsen Tanabandeh Mohsen Tanabandeh ( fa, محسن تنابنده; born April 15, 1975) is an Iranian actor, director and screenwriter. In 2022, he won the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor at the 79th Venice International Film Festival for acting in ''World War III ...
,
Fereshteh Sadre Orafaee Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy ( fa, فرشته صدرعرفایی, born 29 December 1962) is an Iranian actress. She is best known internationally for her role as Pari in '' The Circle'' (2000), which has won several awards including the Golden Lion ...
, Sarina Farhadi and Sahar Goldoust play roles. The film was introduced as the representative of Iranian cinema on October 20, 2021, to compete in the 94th Academy Awards. In April 2022, ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' mistakenly reported that Farhadi had been found guilty, when in fact he was indicted, by an Iranian court on charges of plagiarism for allegedly stealing the premise for ''A Hero'' from an earlier documentary made by Azadeh Masihzadeh, a former film student of Farhadi. The case is now before the criminal court; if convicted, Farhadi could face up to three years in prison. In October 2022, ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' published an article, which included more information about the case and exclusive interviews with those who had previously worked with Farhadi. Many came forward that Farhadi had also used their ideas or work without asking for permission or giving credit, and often credited himself. Among these people are Farhadi’s former classmate and playwright Ali Khodsiani, Iranian author and playwright
Abbas Jahangirian Abbas may refer to: People * Abbas (name), list of people with the name, including: **Abbas ibn Ali, Popularly known as Hazrat-e-Abbas (brother of Imam Hussayn) **Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, uncle of Muhammad ** Mahmoud Abbas (born 1935), Palest ...
, Iranian director
Mani Haghighi Mani Haghighi ( fa, مانی حقیقی; born 4 May 1969) is an Iranian film director, writer, film producer and actor. Haghighi started making movies in 2001. Early life and education Haghighi was born in Tehran, the son of the translator and ...
and another former student, Mostafa Pourmohammadi. ''
A Separation ''A Separation'' ( fa, جدایی, Jodâyi; also titled ''Nader and Simin, A Separation'') is a 2011 Iranian drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, starring Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat, and Sarina Farhad ...
''’s executive producer Negar Eskandarfar has also accused Farhadi of signing a deal without her knowledge, which she alone had the authority to sign. After the film was considered for submission for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, she said she felt as if “she had no choice but to write a letter stating that she transferred her rights to Farhadi—and to backdate it, so it appeared as if it had been drafted before Farhadi signed the international contract.” Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, who has worked on four of Farhadi’s movies, has also supported Masihzadeh’s claims, saying that she believes her, and called Farhadi a “premier gaslighter”. Iranian actress
Golshifteh Farahani Rahavard Farahani ( fa, رهاورد فراهانی; born 10 July 1983), known professionally as Golshifteh Farahani (), is an Iranian-French actress. She is known for her performances in ''M for Mother'' (2006), '' Body of Lies'' (2008), ''Abo ...
, who has worked with Farhadi on ''
About Elly ''About Elly'' ( fa, درباره الی, translit. ''Dar bāre-ye Elly'') is a 2009 Iranian drama film. The fourth film by filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, the film examines middle class relationships in Iran. It received universal acclaim. Farhad ...
'', also came forward about how Farhadi managed to make her feel “guilty” and advised her to write a letter and ask for forgiveness, stating that she now regrets appearing in public without
hijab In modern usage, hijab ( ar, حجاب, translit=ḥijāb, ) generally refers to headcoverings worn by Muslim women. Many Muslims believe it is obligatory for every female Muslim who has reached the age of puberty to wear a head covering. While ...
. She described him as a person who wants to benefit from both sides (the people and the government).


Themes


Social and class structures

Farhadi's films present a microcosm of modern
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and explore the inevitable complications that arise via
class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
,
gender Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and masculinity and differentiating between them. Depending on the context, this may include sex-based social structures (i.e. gender roles) and gender identity. Most cultures u ...
, and
religious Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecie ...
differences. For example, his 2011 film ''
A Separation ''A Separation'' ( fa, جدایی, Jodâyi; also titled ''Nader and Simin, A Separation'') is a 2011 Iranian drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, starring Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat, and Sarina Farhad ...
'' portrays various intractable conflicts and arguments that force the characters to reflect on the
moral A moral (from Latin ''morālis'') is a message that is conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader, or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim. A ...
grounds of their own decisions. In her article, "Through the Looking Glass: Reflexive Cinema and Society in Post-Revolution Iran", Norma Claire Moruzzi writes: The film critic
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
in his Movie Yearbook 2013 writes this about Farhadi's craft depicting social relations: In the introduction to her 2014 book ''Asghar Farhadi: Life and Cinema'', film critic Tina Hassannia writes: In Farhadi's films, Iran is depicted as having a rigid class system that endures across the history of pre- and post-revolutionary Iran. Farhadi films the complexities of everyday life in contemporary Iran, with a particular focus on the ways in which diverse perspectives are embedded within social structures such as class and gender. Farhadi has his own style like "open ending movies", being realistic and "narrative gaps".


Cultural norms

Farhadi's films frequently criticize divisions in Iranian society along class, gender and religious lines. However, they are notable for their subtlety of treatment. Farhadi himself has never rejected Iran, most of his films are deeply rooted in urban Iranian society, and he has frequently expressed his commitment to the country and its people, most notably on the two occasions when he won the
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
. When he picked up the award for ''A Separation'', he dedicated the win to the Iranian nation. When ''The Salesman'' won the prize a few years later, Farhadi declined to attend the event in protest at the policies of the American administration. What is less noticed is his veiled criticism of religious standards in Iran. His debut feature '' Dancing in the Dust'' opens with the Islamic invocation ''Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim'' (''In the name of Allah, the most benevolent, the most merciful'') just as a hand cleans a car window to reveal a large statue of a man, situated on a pedestal in a street. Idolatry is forbidden in Islam, and the construction of human statues likewise discouraged in strict interpretations. For his second film, '' Beautiful City'', Farhadi repeated a similar cinematic trick; as a prison microphone blares out the Bismillah phrase, it is revealed that a young man is carving human figurines. Neither film has been released in the West, and they have not been seen as widely as his latter films.


Influences

In 2012, Farhadi participated in the ''
Sight & Sound ''Sight and Sound'' (also spelled ''Sight & Sound'') is a British monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). It conducts the well-known, once-a-decade ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, ongoing ...
'' film polls of that year. Held every ten years to select the greatest films of all time, contemporary directors were asked to select ten films of their choice. Farhadi's choices are listed below: *''
Rashomon is a 1950 Jidaigeki psychological thriller/crime film directed and written by Akira Kurosawa, working in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori (actor), Masayuki Mori, and ...
'' (Japan, 1950) *''
The Big Road ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' (China, 1935) *''
The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...
'' (US, 1972) *''
Tokyo Story is a 1953 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu and starring Chishū Ryū and Chieko Higashiyama about an aging couple who travel to Tokyo to visit their grown children. Upon release, it did not immediately gain international recogni ...
'' (Japan, 1953) *''
The Apartment ''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, David ...
'' (US, 1960) *'' Three Colors: Red'' (France, 1994) *''
Take the Money and Run ''Take the Money and Run'' is a 1969 American mockumentary comedy film directed by Woody Allen. Allen co-wrote the screenplay with Mickey Rose and stars alongside Janet Margolin. The film chronicles the life of Virgil Starkwell, an inept bank ro ...
'' (US, 1969) *''
Persona A persona (plural personae or personas), depending on the context, is the public image of one's personality, the social role that one adopts, or simply a fictional Character (arts), character. The word derives from Latin, where it originally ref ...
'' (Sweden, 1966) *''
Taxi Driver ''Taxi Driver'' is a 1976 American film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris, and Albert Brooks. Set in a decaying and ...
'' (US, 1976) *'' Modern Times'' (US, 1936)


Filmography


Feature films


Television


Awards and honors

Farhadi is one of a select list of directors who have won the
Best Foreign Film Oscar Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...
more than once. The others are
Vittorio de Sica Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...
and
Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...
(four times each),
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known ...
(three times), and
René Clément René Clément (; 18 March 1913 – 17 March 1996) was a French film director and screenwriter. Life and career Clément studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts where he developed an interest in filmmaking. In 1936, he directed hi ...
and
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...
(twice each). The following is a selection of his major awards. ''A Separation'' won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012, becoming the first Iranian film to win the award. The film was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Awards, Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Be ...
. ''The Salesman'' won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2017. However, Farhadi did not attend the  89th Academy Awards ceremony in protest of the U.S. 
Executive Order 13769 Executive Order 13769, titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, labeled the "Muslim ban" by critics, or commonly referred to as the Trump travel ban, was an executive order by US President Donald Trump ...
. ''
A Hero ''A Hero'' ( fa, قهرمان, Qahremaan) is a 2021 drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi. Starring Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh and Sahar Goldoost. In June 2021, the film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or. At the 2021 Can ...
'' won the Hafez Award for Best Director – Motion Picture and Best Screenplay – Motion Picture (both original and adapted) in 2021. Honors *
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
French (2012) *''
Foreign Policy A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
'' Top 100 Global Thinker (2012)


See also

*
Massoud farasati Massoud Farassati (also spelled ''Farasati'' or ''Ferasati'', fa, مسعود فراستی) is an Iranian film critic. He used to regularly appear in the Iranian State Television programme ''Haft'', hosted by Fereydoun Jeyrani and later by Behr ...
*
Cinema of Iran The Cinema of Iran (Persian: سینمای ایران), also known as the Cinema of Persia, refers to the cinema and film industries in Iran which produce a variety of commercial films annually. Iranian art films have garnered international fame a ...
*
Persian cinema The Cinema of Iran (Persian language, Persian: سینمای ایران), also known as the Cinema of Name of Iran, Persia, refers to the cinema and film industries in Iran which produce a variety of commercial films annually. Iranian art films ha ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Farhadi, Asghar 1972 births Living people University of Tehran alumni Tarbiat Modares University alumni Iranian film directors Iranian screenwriters Film people from Isfahan Silver Bear for Best Director recipients Directors of Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winners Directors of Golden Bear winners Best Director Asian Film Award winners Crystal Simorgh for Best Director winners Crystal Simorgh for Best Screenplay winners Producers who won the Audience Choice of Best Film Crystal Simorgh Iran's Book of the Year Awards recipients Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay winners Asia Pacific Screen Award winners