Who is Asghar Farhadi? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Age: 51 Years, 51 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Parisa Bakhtavar (m. 1990)

children: Saaghar Farhadi, Sarina Farhadi

Born Country: Iran (islamic Republic Of)

Directors Screenwriters

Height: 5'6" (168 cm), 5'6" Males

Notable Alumni: Tarbiat Modares University, University Of Tehran

More Facts

education: University Of Tehran, Tarbiat Modares University

awards: Silver Bear for Best Director
Golden Bear
César Award for Best Foreign Film

Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Asian Film Award for Best Director
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Chlotrudis Award for Best Director
Chlotrudis Award for Best Original Screenplay
Best Screenplay Award (Cannes Film Festival)
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

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Childhood & Early Life

Asghar Farhadi was born in Homayoun Shahr, a city in the Isfahan province of Iran, on 7th May 1972. Not much is known about his childhood or parents.

He studied at the University of Tehran, from where he completed his BA in dramatic arts. Following this, he attended the Tarbiat Modares University, from where he got his MA in stage direction. During this time, he made short films and also wrote several radio plays for Iran’s national broadcasting service. He also directed a few TV shows.

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Career

Asghar Farhadi began his career with the 2002 film ‘Low Heights’, where he was the screenwriter. The film was directed by Ebrahim Hakamikia. The next year, Farhadi made his directorial debut with the film ‘Dancing in the Dust’. The film is about a young man, who, under pressure from his relatives, divorces his wife. He later faces difficulties in raising money for her marriage dowry.

His next film was ‘The Beautiful City’, released in 2004, which he wrote and directed. The film is about a boy named Akbar who commits a murder at the age of sixteen and is condemned to death at the age of eighteen. Farhadi won the Golden Peacock Award at the International Film Festival of India, the Grand Prix at the Warsaw International Film Festival, and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Split Film Festival.

His co-wrote and directed the 2006 Iranian drama ‘Fireworks Wednesday’ that portrayed the life of a troubled couple, as they prepare for a vacation to Dubai. The film won three International Awards.

Farhadi’s next movies over the years include ‘Canaan’ (2007), ‘Tambourine’ (2008), ‘Trial on the Street’ (2009), and ‘About Elly’ (2009). He was a screenwriter in all four films, and also a director and producer in ‘About Elly’.

His popularity reached new heights after his 2011 film ‘A Separation’, which he wrote, directed, and produced, was released. It won the Academy Award in the Best Foreign Film Category, making it the first ever Iranian film to win an Oscar. The film also won many other awards like the Golden Globe Award, the Independent Spirit Award, and the Cesar Award.

His next film was ‘The Past,’ released in 2013, which he wrote and directed. The film was nominated for the Golden Globe Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It won the Durban International Film Festival Award for ‘Best Screenplay’.

His 2016 film ‘The Salesman’, which he wrote, directed, and co-produced, became his second film to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, making him one of the few filmmakers to have won an Oscar in this category twice. The film also won several other awards, such as the Asian Film Award, Mumbai Film Festival Award, and Munich Film Festival Award.

His most recent work is the Spanish psychological thriller ‘Everybody Knows’ (2018), which he wrote and directed. The film was a commercial and critical success.

Major Works

’A Separation’, a 2011 Iranian drama film, is one of Asghar Farhadi’s most significant works. He was the director, screenwriter and the producer. The film focuses on a middle-class couple who separate, much to their daughter’s anguish. The situation becomes even more complicated when the husband hires a lower-class caregiver for his elder father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. The film won the Oscar in the ‘Best Foreign Film Category.’

’The Salesman’ is another drama film written, produced, and directed by Asghar Farhadi. The film is about a married couple that is performing in the play ‘Death of a Salesman’, by Arthur Miller, when the wife is assaulted. Later, as the wife struggles with post-trauma stress, the husband tries to find the identity of the attacker.

Family & Personal Life

Asghar Farhadi married Parisa Bakhtavar in 1990. They have two children.

Asghar Farhadi Biography