Asghar Farhadi

Asghar Farhadi (اصغر فرهادی) was born in 1972 in Iran. He became interested in cinema in his teenage years and started his filmmaking education by joining the Youth Cinema Society of Esfahan in 1986 where he made 8mm and 16mm short films. Asghar Farhadi received his Bachelors in Theater from University of Tehran's School of Dramatic Arts in 1998 and his Masters in Stage Direction from Tarbiat Modarres University a few years later. During these formative years, Farhadi made six shorts and two TV series for Iran's National Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB) of which "A Tale of a City" is most noteworthy. In 2001, Asghar Farhadi debute d in professional cinema by co-writing the script for Low Heights (2002) (Ertefae Past), a post-911 political farce chronicle of Southwest Iran, with famed war film director, Ebrahim Hatamikia. The film was met with both critical and public success. The following year, Asghar Farhadi made his directorial debut, Dancing in the Dust (2003) (Raghs dar Ghobar), about a man forced to divorce his wife and go hunting snakes in the desert in order to repay his debts to his in-laws. The film earned recognition at Fajr and Moscow International Film Festivals and a year later, Beautiful City (2004) (Shahr-e-Ziba), a grave work about a young man condemned to death at the age of sixteen, received awards from Fajr and Warsaw International Film Festivals. His third film, Fireworks Wednesday (2006) (Chaharshambe Soori), won the Gold Hugo at the 2006 Chicago ...

A Separation (2011)

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A married couple are faced with a difficult decision - to improve the life of their child by moving to another country or to stay in Iran and look after a deteriorating parent who has Alzheimer's disease.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Leila Hatami  •  Kimia Hosseini  •  Merila Zarei  •  Payman Maadi

A married couple are faced with a difficult decision - to improve the life of their child by moving to another country or to stay in Iran and look after a deteriorating parent who has Alzheimer's disease.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Leila Hatami  •  Kimia Hosseini  •  Merila Zarei  •  Payman Maadi

Dancing in the Dust (2003)

When forced to divorce his wife by family and social pressure because her mother is a prostitute, Nazar (Khodaparast) works double shifts to pay back the loan he took out for his impulsive wedding and to pay some ongoing restitution to his sweet jilted bride, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Faramarz Gharibian  •  Yousef Khodaparast  •  Baran Kosari  •  Jalal Sarhad Seraj

When forced to divorce his wife by family and social pressure because her mother is a prostitute, Nazar (Khodaparast) works double shifts to pay back the loan he took out for his impulsive wedding and to pay some ongoing restitution to his sweet jilted bride, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Faramarz Gharibian  •  Yousef Khodaparast  •  Baran Kosari  •  Jalal Sarhad Seraj

The Past (2013)

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After four years apart, Ahmad returns to his wife Marie in Paris in order to progress their divorce. During his brief stay, he cannot help noticing the strained relationship between Marie and her daughter Lucie. As he attempts to improve matters between mother and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Bérénice Bejo  •  Tahar Rahim  •  Ali Mosaffa  •  Pauline Burlet

After four years apart, Ahmad returns to his wife Marie in Paris in order to progress their divorce. During his brief stay, he cannot help noticing the strained relationship between Marie and her daughter Lucie. As he attempts to improve matters between mother and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Bérénice Bejo  •  Tahar Rahim  •  Ali Mosaffa  •  Pauline Burlet

Beautiful City (2004)

Akbar, 18, has been held in a rehabilitation centre for committing murder at the age of sixteen. Now, Akbar is transferred to prison to await the day of his execution. A’la, a friend of Akbar, tries desperately to gain the consent of Akbar’s plaintiff so as to stop ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Babak Ansari  •  Faramarz Gharibian  •  Ahoo Kheradmand

Akbar, 18, has been held in a rehabilitation centre for committing murder at the age of sixteen. Now, Akbar is transferred to prison to await the day of his execution. A’la, a friend of Akbar, tries desperately to gain the consent of Akbar’s plaintiff so as to stop ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Babak Ansari  •  Faramarz Gharibian  •  Ahoo Kheradmand

About Elly (2009)

The mysterious disappearance of a kindergarten teacher during a picnic in the north of Iran is followed by a series of misadventures for her fellow travelers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Golshifteh Farahani  •  Shahab Hosseini  •  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Payman Maadi

The mysterious disappearance of a kindergarten teacher during a picnic in the north of Iran is followed by a series of misadventures for her fellow travelers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Golshifteh Farahani  •  Shahab Hosseini  •  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Payman Maadi

Fireworks Wednesday (2006)

Rouhi, a young bride-to-be, is hired as a maid for an affluent family in Tehran. Upon arriving, she is suddenly thrust into an explosive domestic conflict. The wife is convinced her husband is having an affair and enlists Rouhi as a spy, to follow her husband, and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Hamid Farrokhnejad  •  Hedie Tehrani  •  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Pantea Bahram

Rouhi, a young bride-to-be, is hired as a maid for an affluent family in Tehran. Upon arriving, she is suddenly thrust into an explosive domestic conflict. The wife is convinced her husband is having an affair and enlists Rouhi as a spy, to follow her husband, and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Hamid Farrokhnejad  •  Hedie Tehrani  •  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Pantea Bahram

The Salesman (2016)

Forced out of their apartment due to dangerous works on a neighboring building, Emad and Rana move into a new flat in the center of Tehran. An incident linked to the previous tenant will dramatically change the young couple’s life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Shahab Hosseini  •  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Babak Karimi  •  Mina Sadati

Forced out of their apartment due to dangerous works on a neighboring building, Emad and Rana move into a new flat in the center of Tehran. An incident linked to the previous tenant will dramatically change the young couple’s life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Shahab Hosseini  •  Taraneh Alidoosti  •  Babak Karimi  •  Mina Sadati

About Cinema (2015)

An abandoned tumbledown theater in the outback of Paraíba state is the initial setting of a film about cinema, which explores the testimonials of the novelist and playwright Ariano Suassuna and other filmmakers such as Ruy Guerra, Julio Bressane, Ken Loach, Andrzej ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Walter Carvalho
CAST:  Béla Tarr  •  Ruy Guerra  •  Júlio Bressane  •  Lucrecia Martel

An abandoned tumbledown theater in the outback of Paraíba state is the initial setting of a film about cinema, which explores the testimonials of the novelist and playwright Ariano Suassuna and other filmmakers such as Ruy Guerra, Julio Bressane, Ken Loach, Andrzej ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Walter Carvalho
CAST:  Béla Tarr  •  Ruy Guerra  •  Júlio Bressane  •  Lucrecia Martel

From Iran, a Separation (2011)

In March 2012, Iranian movie "A Separation" by Asghar Farhadi, won the Oscar Award for the Best Foreign Language Film. For the Iranian people this was more than a cinematic award. When sanctions and threats of war with Iran covered the world headlines, Farhadi ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kourosh Ataee  •  Azadeh Moussavi
CAST:  Leila Hatami  •  Shahab Hosseini  •  Asghar Farhadi  •  Rossanamusik

In March 2012, Iranian movie "A Separation" by Asghar Farhadi, won the Oscar Award for the Best Foreign Language Film. For the Iranian people this was more than a cinematic award. When sanctions and threats of war with Iran covered the world headlines, Farhadi ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kourosh Ataee  •  Azadeh Moussavi
CAST:  Leila Hatami  •  Shahab Hosseini  •  Asghar Farhadi  •  Rossanamusik

Everybody Knows (2018)

Laura, a Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires, returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her Argentinian husband and children. However, the trip is upset by unexpected events that bring secrets into the open.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Penélope Cruz  •  Javier Bardem  •  Ricardo Darín  •  Bárbara Lennie

Laura, a Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires, returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her Argentinian husband and children. However, the trip is upset by unexpected events that bring secrets into the open.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Penélope Cruz  •  Javier Bardem  •  Ricardo Darín  •  Bárbara Lennie

About The Salesman (2018)

The Salesman is Asghar Farhadi's seventh film that won two trophies for the Best Actor and Best Screenplay at Cannes Film Festival in 2016 and the academy award for the best Foreign Language Film in 2017. About The Salesman is a documentary about Farhadi's method ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tahmineh Monzavi  •  Vahid Sedaghat
CAST:  Asghar Farhadi  •  Houshang Golmakani  •  Peter Bradshaw  •  Mehrzad Danesh

The Salesman is Asghar Farhadi's seventh film that won two trophies for the Best Actor and Best Screenplay at Cannes Film Festival in 2016 and the academy award for the best Foreign Language Film in 2017. About The Salesman is a documentary about Farhadi's method ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tahmineh Monzavi  •  Vahid Sedaghat
CAST:  Asghar Farhadi  •  Houshang Golmakani  •  Peter Bradshaw  •  Mehrzad Danesh

Scenes from A Separation (2018)

Scenes from A Separation  (more)

DIRECTION:  Vahid Sedaghat
CAST:  Jean-Claude Carrière  •  Ebrahim Golestan  •  Mike Leigh  •  Asghar Farhadi

Scenes from A Separation  (more)

DIRECTION:  Vahid Sedaghat
CAST:  Jean-Claude Carrière  •  Ebrahim Golestan  •  Mike Leigh  •  Asghar Farhadi

The New Wave (2016)

A Documentary about New Wave movement in Iranian cinema.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ahmad Talebinezhad
CAST:  Dariush Mehrjui  •  Asghar Farhadi  •  Bahman Farmanara  •  Parviz Shahbazi

A Documentary about New Wave movement in Iranian cinema.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ahmad Talebinezhad
CAST:  Dariush Mehrjui  •  Asghar Farhadi  •  Bahman Farmanara  •  Parviz Shahbazi

A Hero (2021)

Rahim is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don't go as planned. Is he truly a hero?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Mohsen Tanabande  •  Amir Jadidi  •  Fereshteh Sadr Orafaee  •  Sahar Goldoost

Rahim is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don't go as planned. Is he truly a hero?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Asghar Farhadi
CAST:  Mohsen Tanabande  •  Amir Jadidi  •  Fereshteh Sadr Orafaee  •  Sahar Goldoost

Kusturica - Balkan's Bad Boy (2012)

A film director, an actor, a musician, an organizer of festivals, a husband, a father, a grand-father, a friend, a professor... This film is an unexpected meeting with one of the most fascinating European film directors: Emir Kusturica. This is a journey to memory ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Georgi Toshev  •  Yavor Vesselinov
CAST:  Nuri Bilge Ceylan  •  Zoran Hamović  •  Olivier Horlait  •  Emir Kusturica

A film director, an actor, a musician, an organizer of festivals, a husband, a father, a grand-father, a friend, a professor... This film is an unexpected meeting with one of the most fascinating European film directors: Emir Kusturica. This is a journey to memory ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Georgi Toshev  •  Yavor Vesselinov
CAST:  Nuri Bilge Ceylan  •  Zoran Hamović  •  Olivier Horlait  •  Emir Kusturica

Talking Heads 2021 (2021)

The film was inspired by one of the most important documentaries shot by Krzysztof Kieślowski, Talking Heads (1980). The director asked his interlocutors seemingly simple questions, such as “Who are you?” and “What do you want?”.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jan P. Matuszyński
CAST:  Irène Jacob  •  Pema Tseden  •  Aleksey German Jr.  •  Mirosław Baka

The film was inspired by one of the most important documentaries shot by Krzysztof Kieślowski, Talking Heads (1980). The director asked his interlocutors seemingly simple questions, such as “Who are you?” and “What do you want?”.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jan P. Matuszyński
CAST:  Irène Jacob  •  Pema Tseden  •  Aleksey German Jr.  •  Mirosław Baka

Room 999 (2023)

In 1982, Wim Wenders asked 16 of his fellow directors to speak on the future of cinema, resulting in the film Room 666. Now, 40 years later, in Cannes, director Lubna Playoust asks Wim Wenders himself and a new generation of filmmakers (James Gray, Rebecca ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lubna Playoust
CAST:  Wim Wenders  •  Audrey Diwan  •  Pietro Marcello  •  Joachim Trier

In 1982, Wim Wenders asked 16 of his fellow directors to speak on the future of cinema, resulting in the film Room 666. Now, 40 years later, in Cannes, director Lubna Playoust asks Wim Wenders himself and a new generation of filmmakers (James Gray, Rebecca ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lubna Playoust
CAST:  Wim Wenders  •  Audrey Diwan  •  Pietro Marcello  •  Joachim Trier