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, p ...
,
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 Shīrāzī ( fa, خواجه شمسالدین محمّد حافظ شیرازی), known by his pen name Hafez (, ''Ḥāfeẓ'', 'the memorizer; the (safe) keeper'; 1325–1390) and as "Hafiz", ...
of
Iranian cinema
The Cinema of Iran (Persian: سینمای ایران), also known as the Cinema of Persia, refers to the cinema and film industries in Iran which produce a variety of commercial films annually. Iranian art films have garnered international fame a ...
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
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...
. 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 Cradle of civilization, cradle ...
, including ''
Hajji Washington
''Hajji Washington'' ( fa, حاجی واشنگتن, italic=yes) is an Iranian comedy/drama film directed by Ali Hatami. The film is a fictionalized account of Iran's first ambassador to the United States, Hajji Washington.
Filmed in Italy (filli ...
'' (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 ''
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 Shīrāzī ( fa, خواجه شمسالدین محمّد حافظ شیرازی), known by his pen name Hafez (, ''Ḥāfeẓ'', 'the memorizer; the (safe) keeper'; 1325–1390) and as "Hafiz", ...
of
Iranian cinema
The Cinema of Iran (Persian: سینمای ایران), also known as the Cinema of Persia, refers to the cinema and film industries in Iran which produce a variety of commercial films annually. Iranian art films have garnered international fame a ...
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 most ...
'' (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 Military units
*35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force
* 35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I
* 35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July ...
.
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 b ...
, on December 7, 1996, in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the 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 the most popul ...
.
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 sou ...
. 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 ind ...
-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 Farhadi ...
''.
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
Sooteh-Delan (meaning broken-hearted people) ( fa, سوته دلان) is a 1977 Iranian film directed and written by Ali Hatami, produced by Ali Abbasi and starring Behrouz Vosoughi. The film is the story of an old family in Tehran, in which Jams ...
'' (1978)
*''
Hajji Washington
''Hajji Washington'' ( fa, حاجی واشنگتن, italic=yes) is an Iranian comedy/drama film directed by Ali Hatami. The film is a fictionalized account of Iran's first ambassador to the United States, Hajji Washington.
Filmed in Italy (filli ...
'' (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)
*''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 childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the cas ...
'' (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 ta ...
'' (1992)
*''Komiteh Mojazat'' (1997)
*''Takhti'' (1997)
*''Tehran Roozegare No'' (2008)
Television series
*''Rumi Story'' (1972)
*''
Soltan-e Sahebgharan
''Soltan-e Sahebgharan'' ( fa, سلطان صاحبقران; also Romanized as ''Soltān-e Sāhebgherān'') is an Iranian historical 1974 TV series directed by Ali Hatami. It stars Jamshid Mashayekhi, Naser Malek Motiee, Iren, Parviz Fanizadeh, Za ...
'' (1974)
*''
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 most ...
'' (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