Ali Hatami ( fa, علی حاتمی , August 14, 1944 – December 7, 1996) was an Iranian

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, ...

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

, art director, and costume designer. The ''

Tehran Times The ''Tehran Times'' is an English-language daily newspaper. Ayatollah Mohammad Hossein Beheshti, second in line in the political hierarchy following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, stated: "''Tehran Times'' is not a state-owned newspaper, rathe ...

'' dubbed him "the

Hafez Khwāje Shams-od-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shiraz, Shīrāzī ( fa, خواجه شمس‌‌الدین محمّد حافظ شیرازی), known by his pen name Hafez (, ''Ḥāfeẓ'', 'the memorizer; the (safe) keeper'; 1325–1390) and as "H ...

Iranian 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 ...

due to the poetic ambiance of his movies."

Career

Hatami graduated from the College of Dramatic Arts in Iran and subsequently began his professional career as a writer. He made his feature film

directorial debut This is a list of film directorial debuts in chronological order. The films and dates referred to are a director's first commercial cinematic release. Many film makers have directed works which were not commercially released, for example early work ...

with ''Hasan Kachal'' (''Hasan the Bald'') in 1970, which was the first Iranian musical film. He wrote and directed several films that focused on

Iranian culture The culture of Iran () or culture of PersiaYarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) is among the most influential in the world. Iran, also known as Persia, is widely considered to be one of the cradles of civilization. Due ...

, including '' Hajji Washington'' (1982), ''

Kamalolmolk Mohammad Ghaffari ( fa, محمد غفاری), better known as Kamal-ol-Molk (), was an Iranian painter and part of the Ghaffari family in Kashan. Biography Mohammad Ghaffari, better known as Kamal-ol-Molk, born in Kashan in 1848, to a family w ...

'' (1984), and '' Love Stricken'' (1992). The ''

'' dubbed him "the

due to the poetic ambiance of his movies." Hatami was also known for directing television series; he established a small production village—the Ghazali Cinema Town—to function as a set for

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

productions, which he ultimately used to produce the popular television series ''

Hezar Dastan ''Hezardastan'' ( fa, هزاردستان, translit=Hezār Dastān) also known as ''Hezar Dastan'', was an Iranian epic historical drama television series from 1987, developed and directed by Ali Hatami. Hezar Dastan is considered one of the mos ...

'' (1978 to 1987). In 2006, ''Hezar Dastan'' was voted by the Association of Iranian Film and Television Critics as the best Iranian television series ever made. Although his films did not attract international attention, the Iranian audience praised him. He often worked as the art director and costume designer of his own films. He was honored in 2017 as the subject of the poster for the 35th Fajr International Film Festival.

Death

Hatami's last film remained incomplete because of his death due to

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

, on December 7, 1996, in

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the Capital city, 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 th ...

Personal life

His parents were from

Tafresh Tafresh ( fa, تفرش, ''Tafreš'') is a city and the capital of Tafresh County, in Markazi Province, Iran. As of the 2011 census, its population was 25,912 (including 12,884 men and 13,028 women). Tafresh is located amidst high mountains so ...

. He was married to Iranian actress Zari Khoshkam. Their daughter,

Leila Hatami Leila Hatami ( fa, لیلا حاتمی; born October 1, 1972) is an Iranian actress. She has received numerous accolades, including a Silver Bear, two Crystal Simorghs, two Hafez Awards, two Iran Cinema Celebration Awards and three Iran's Film ...

, also an actress, starred in 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 in ...

-winning 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 Fa ...

''.

Films

*''Hasan Kachal'' (1970) *'' Wood Pigeon'' ''(Toghi)'' (1970) *''Baba Shamal'' (1971) *''

Sattar Khan Sattar Khan ( fa, ستارخان, , October 20, 1866 – November 17, 1914), honorarily titled Sardār-e Melli ( fa, سردار ملی meaning ''National Commander'') was a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and is considered ...

'' (1972) *''Ghalandar'' (1972) *''Khastegar'' (1972) *'' Sooteh-Delan'' (1978) *'' Hajji Washington'' (1982) *''

'' (1984) *''Jafar khan az farang Bargashteh'' (1984) *''

Mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of ge ...

'' (1991) *''

Del Shodegan Love-stricken (in Persian:''دل‌شدگان'';) is a 1992 Iranian historical drama film directed by Ali Hatami. The movie is mainly about some Iranian classical musicians in Ghajar era and their struggle to release their first Record which tak ...

'' (1992) *''Komiteh Mojazat'' (1997) *''Takhti'' (1997) *''Tehran Roozegare No'' (2008)

Television series

*''Rumi Story'' (1972) *'' Soltan-e Sahebgharan'' (1974) *''

'' (1978–1987)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hatami, Ali Iranian film directors Iranian screenwriters Iranian art directors People from Tehran People from Tafresh 1944 births 1996 deaths Deaths from cancer in Iran Burials at artist's block of Behesht-e Zahra 20th-century screenwriters