Asghar Farhadi named Busan Film Festival jury president

Academy Award winning Iranian filmmaker has been selected to preside over the jury for the New Currents section at the 19th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.

Farhadi will head the festival’s jury panel that is comprised of French philosopher Jacques Ranciere, Professor of film studies at the Scotland’s University of St. Andrews Dina Iordanova, Indian actress Suhasini Maniratnam, and Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho.

The Iranian director Mohammad Mehdi Asgarpour’s drama We Have a Guest is also scheduled to compete at the festival which will take place from October 2 to 11.

Academy Award winning Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi

Born in 1972, 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.

His 2011 family drama A Separation became a sensation and received rave reviews from numerous international film events and festivals.

The film won the award for the Best Foreign Language film at the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award in 2012.

“Farhadi is a filmmaker who makes one becomes familiar with the rich culture of Iran. His works remind us of Victor Hugo,” The mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe had earlier said during an award ceremony during which the Grand Medal of Vermeil from the City went to Farhadi for his latest drama The Past (Le Passé).

The Past has scooped numerous awards so far such as two prizes at the 66th Cannes film festival including the Best Actress award and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (prix du Jury œcuménique).

Dancing in the Dust (2003), The Beautiful 2004), Fireworks Wednesday (2006) and About Elly (2009) are his other directorial works.