Biography of Atom Egoyan

Narratives on celluloid

July 19, 1960
Of Armenian descent, Atom Egoyan was born in Egypt on July 19, 1960. He moved at an early age in Canada with his family, Egoyan he studies at the University of Toronto in international relations with the specific intent to pursue a diplomatic career. But even his artistic interests are very strong. He studied classical guitar and in fact mainly began from an early age to make short films. One of these "Open house", will also be released by CBC television chain. Successfully completed the University period, Atom works in theatre as a screenwriter, although interest in cinema is still predominant. A prolific writer, is the first outlets on television, where it will be screenwriter of several episodes of the series "the fourth dimension" and "Alfred Hitchcock presents". He debuted on the big screen in 1984 year in which he wrote, produced and directed "close relative". The film will go on gold Ducat Festival in Mannheim.
Four years later with "virtual world" filmmaker wins the international renown: the film appears in the list of works presented at the Cannes Film Festival. Always in the famous French display cabinet, another film by Atom Egoyan is consents and approvals: in 1994 his "Exotica" conquers the famous Festival grand jury prize. No different than the fate of "the sweet hereafter" that applies to the Director the Oscar nominations for Best Director and best adapted screenplay, in addition to the Grand Prize of the jury and the Fipresci award of the international critics at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997. Prior to this, Egoyan had tried the strange adventure of turn six movies on Bach's cello suites performed by cellist Yo Yo Ma, an experiment much dared and succeeded only halfway. Famous worldwide acclaimed filmmaker Atom Egoyan continues tirelessly his ascent with "Felicia's journey" (1999) who won new awards to standing ovations at Cannes.
In 2003 a tribute to its origins the Director realizes "Ararat" (with Charles Aznavour), film in film about the Holocaust of the Armenian people during the years of the first world war. His is a cinema where the narrative slowed leads the characters to an inevitable ruin, moral rather than physical. Keen on Samuel Beckett, Egoyan has sometimes been compared to that of Michelangelo Antonioni.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.