Jamil Dehlavi ( ur, جمیل دہلوی) (born 1944) is a London-based independent film director and producer of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

i- French origin. Since he became a filmmaker in the 1970s, his work has been widely screened internationally, notable films including ''

Jinnah Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...

'' (1998), about the partition of India and the birth of Pakistan, which won the Grand Prize at the Festival of the Dhow Countries, Best International Film at the World Film Awards in Indonesia, the Gold Award at Worldfest Flagstaff, Best Foreign Film at

Worldfest Houston The WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, founded in 1968, is an annual film festival held annually in April in Houston, Texas. Notable festival alumni include John Lee Hancock, who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film '' The Blind ...

, and was nominated for a Golden Pyramid at the

Cairo International Film Festival The Cairo International Film Festival ( ar, مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الدولي) is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year si ...

Early life and education

Born in

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...

, to a French mother and an Pathan-Indian father who was a diplomat and subsequently travelled extensively between Asia and Europe, Dehlavi is fluent in five languages (English, French, Italian, Spanish and Urdu).(Ali Nobil Ahmad
"Meeting Jamil Dehlavi - Pakistan's most intriguing filmmaker"
''The National'' (newsmagazine), 11 August 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2020. He studied at

Karachi Grammar School Karachi Grammar School ( ur, ) is an independent, English-medium school located in 3 different campuses across Karachi. The main and oldest campus is located in Saddar, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is a highly selective, coeducational day school ...

, then at international schools in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

before going to

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. ...

and

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...

. He graduated with a BA degree in Politics and French Literature and an MA (Hons) in Jurisprudence. He was subsequently called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn but never practised, preferring instead to go into the world of cinema.(Alex Barrett
"Where to begin with Jamil Dehlavi"
(profile), British Film Institute website, 12 November 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2020. Dehlavi studied film directing at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in New York, where he was awarded an MFA degree.

Career

While studying in New York, Dehlavi trained as an actor with

Stella Adler Stella Adler (February 10, 1901 – December 21, 1992) was an American actress and acting teacher.
''

The Blood of Hussain ''The Blood of Hussain'' is a 1980 Pakistani drama film directed by Jamil Dehlavi. The film was released in February 1981 in the UK. The film was banned throughout Pakistan as the military junta led by General Zia-ul-Haq toppled the government ...

'' (1980), was selected by the Director's Fortnight at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

and won the Grand Prize at the

Taormina Film Festival Taormina Film Fest (TFF) is a film festival that began in 1955 under the name Rassegna Cinematografica Internazionale di Messina e Taormina. The exhibition, which moved permanently to Taormina in 1971, has hosted over the years many stars of inter ...

. All of his subsequent films have also won major awards at film festivals all over the world. Dehlavi has worked on various projects for the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

Channel Four Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service in ...

, and French television, including ''Qâf – The Sacred Mountain'', which won awards at five environmental film festivals. He worked on ''Passover'', a passion play shot in Córdoba and made in collaboration with the celebrated flamenco guitarist

Paco Peña Paco Peña (born 1 June 1942) is a Spanish flamenco composer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the world's foremost traditional flamenco players. Biography Born in Córdoba, Spain, as Francisco Peña Pérez, Paco Peña began learning to pl ...

. Dehlavi has also worked in the Radio & Visual Services Division at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

and as an Associate Professor in the School of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences at

Habib University Habib University (HU) ( ur, ) is a private liberal arts university located in Karachi, Pakistan. Funded by the House of Habib, the Habib University Foundation was established in 2010, and was chartered in 2012 as an independent university. B ...

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

. In August 2018, the

BFI Southbank BFI Southbank (from 1951 to 2007, known as the National Film Theatre) is the leading repertory cinema in the UK, specialising in seasons of classic, independent and non-English language films. It is operated by the British Film Institute. His ...

presented a retrospective of his work entitled ''Between the Sacred and the Profane: The Cinema of Jamil Dehlavi'', which was described as "a rare opportunity to examine the contribution of one of the most intriguing and least understood figures of cinema." With screenings of several films held over the weekend of 10–12 August, the event also featured a conversation with Dehlavi."August 2018 at BFI Southbank"
British Film Institute,

Selected credits

* 1973: ''The Guitarist'' (starring Jamil Dehlavi & Ellen Pauwels) ::Gold Medal –

Atlanta Film Festival The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is a long-running, international film festival held in Atlanta, Georgia operated by the Atlanta Film Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Started in 1976 and occurring every spring, the festival shows a ...

* 1976: ''Towers of Silence'' (starring Judy Van Hook & Jamil Dehlavi) ::Grand Prize - Festival of the Americas * 1980: ''

'' (starring Salman Peerzada,

Kika Markham Erika S.L. "Kika" Markham (born 1940)''birth registered 4th quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) 1940'' is an English actress. Early life Markham is a daughter of actor David Markham and writer Olive Dehn (1914–2007). She has three sisters: Petra, Sonia ...

, Durriya Kazi & Jamil Dehlavi) ::Director's Fortnight -

::Grand Prize –

::Gold Award –

::Gold Hugo Nomination Best Feature Film –

Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...

* 1984: ''Qâf – The Sacred Mountain'' (short documentary film, also known as ''Qâf'') ::Best Environmental Film – Jackson Hole Mountain Film Festival ::Special Jury Award – Telluride Mountain Film Festival ::Silver Gentian Best Mountain Film – Trento Mountain Film Festival ::Diable d'Or – Les Diablerets,

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

::Best Environmental Documentary – Worldfest Houston * 1986: ''Born of Fire'' (starring

Peter Firth Peter Macintosh Firth (born 27 October 1953) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Sir Harry Pearce in the BBC One programme '' Spooks''; he is the only actor to have appeared in every episode of the programme's ten-series lif ...

Suzan Crowley Suzan Jane Crowley (; born 1953) is an English-American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and natio ...

) ::Official Selection – Avoriaz Film Festival ::Catalan Award – Imagfic Madrid ::Gold Award Best Feature Film – Worldfest Houston ::Gold Hugo Nomination Best Feature Film – Chicago International Film Festival * 1992: ''

Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the belief that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, meaning that it is held to be a divinely revealed truth w ...

'' (starring

Melissa Leo Melissa Chessington Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Critics' Choice A ...

James Wilby James Jonathon Wilby (born 20 February 1958) is an English actor. Early life and education Wilby was born in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father. He was educated at Terrington Hall School, North Yorkshire and Sedbergh School in Cu ...

Shabana Azmi Shabana Azmi (born 18 September 1950) is an Indian actress of Hindi film, television and theatre. One of India's most acclaimed actresses, Azmi is known for her portrayals of distinctive, often unconventional female characters across several ge ...

Zia Mohyeddin Zia Mohyeddin (; born 20 June 1931) is a British-Pakistani actor, producer, director and television broadcaster who has appeared in both Pakistani cinema and television as well as in British cinema and television throughout his career. Zia ...

) ::Panorama –

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fest ...

::Special Jury Prize – Dinard Film Festival ::Gold Hugo Nomination Best Feature Film – Chicago International Film Festival * 1996: ''Passover'' (short film starring Jorge de Juan & Belen Fernandez) * 1997: ''

Passion in the Desert ''Passion in the Desert'', or ''Simoom: A Passion in the Desert'', is a 1997 film from director Lavinia Currier based on the 1830 short story "Une passion dans le désert, A Passion in the Desert" by Honoré de Balzac. The film follows the ventures ...

'' roducer(starring Ben Daniels &

Michel Piccoli Jacques Daniel Michel Piccoli (27 December 1925 – 12 May 2020) was a French actor, producer and film director with a career spanning 70 years. He was lauded as one of the greatest French character actors of his generation who played a wide vari ...

) * 1998: ''

'' (starring Christopher Lee,

James Fox William Fox (born 19 May 1939), known professionally as James Fox, is an English actor. He appeared in several notable films of the 1960s and early 1970s, including '' King Rat'', '' The Servant'', ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' and ''Performan ...

Maria Aitken Maria Penelope Katharine Aitken (born 12 September 1945) is an English theatre director, teacher, actress, and writer. Early life and career Aitken was born in Dublin, Ireland, the daughter of Sir William Aitken, a Conservative MP, and Penelo ...

& Shashi Kapoor)"Jamil Dehlavi's 'Jinnah' to be screened in Lahore"
''

The Express Tribune ''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English language, English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the ''Daily Express (Urdu newspaper), Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliat ...

'' (Pakistan), 6 March 2019, Retrieved 24 October 2020. ::Grand Prize –

Zanzibar International Film Festival The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), also known as Festival of the Dhow Countries, is an annual film festival held in Zanzibar, Tanzania and one of the largest cultural events in East Africa. ZIFF is a non-governmental organization est ...

::Best International Film – World Film Awards, Indonesia ::Gold Award Best Foreign Film – Worldfest Flagstaff ::Silver Award – Worldfest Houston ::Golden Pyramid Nomination –

* 2006: '' Infinite Justice'' (starring Kevin Collins &

Raza Jaffrey Raza Jaffrey (born 28 May 1973) is a British actor and singer, who starred as Neal Hudson on the CBS TV medical drama '' Code Black''. He is best known for playing Zafar Younis on the BBC One spy drama series '' Spooks''. In 2014, he played ...

) ::FIPRESCI International Critics Prize ::Best European Feature Film – European Independent Film Festival, Paris ::Robert Rodriguez Prize for Excellence – Hollywood DV Festival ::Critic's Prize – Amiens International Film Festival ::Audience Award Best Film – Florence River to River Festival ::Special Jury Award – Worldfest Houston ::Best Supporting Actor:

- Karafilm Festival, Karachi * 2010: ''

Godforsaken ''Godforsaken'' ( nl, Van God Los) is a 2003 Dutch drama film. The film received a Golden Film (100,000 visitors) and won three Golden Calves. Background The movie is based on the real life of the “Gang from Venlo Venlo () is a city and ...

'' (starring Annabel Wright, Trevor White & Nick Ashdon) ::Golden Palm Award – Mexico International Film Festival ::Special Jury Remi and Best International Film Award – Worldfest Houston ::Best Actress Nomination: Annabel Wright – Milan International Film Festival, Italy ::Best European Feature Nomination - European Independent Film Festival, France ::Best Film Nomination – Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Festival ::Best Digital Film Nomination – Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt ::Best Film Nomination – Portobello International Film Festival, London * 2014: ''Seven Lucky Gods'' ::Grand Prize,

Tirana International Film Festival The Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the major annual events taking place in Tirana each year. It was the first international cinema festival in Albania. This cultural event was created in 2003 and is currently the most importan ...

::Best Feature Film –

Canada International Film Festival The Edgewater Casino is a former casino that was located at 760 Pacific Blvd South Vancouver, British Columbia. It was in operation from 2005 to 2017. History The Edgwater Casino opened in February 2005. In 2006, the casino was acquired by Par ...

::Gold Lion Award – Barcelona International Film Festival ::Best Feature Film – Honolulu Film Awards, Hawaii ::Best Feature Film – Delhi International Film Festival ::Special Jury Prize – Worldfest Houston ::Best Actor (

Nik Xhelilaj Kreshnik Xhelilaj (born 5 March 1983) known professionally as Nik Xhelilaj, is an Albanian actor. He began his international career with the movie The Sorrow of Mrs. Schneider, directed by Piro Milkani and Eno Milkani and was the leading actor ...

) – Worldfest Houston ::Best Actress Nomination (

Alison Peebles Alison Peebles (born 1953) is a Scottish actress, director, and writer in theatre, film, and television. She is a co-founder of Communicado, a Scottish theatre company. Early life Peebles trained as a Painter at Edinburgh College of Art. Career ...

) – Worldfest Houston ::Best Original Screenplay – St. Tropez International Film Festival ::Best Lead Actress (Alison Peebles) – St. Tropez International Film Festival ::Bronze Palm Award – Mexico International Film Festival ::Best Foreign Film Nomination – Phoenix Film Festival ::Best Production Design Nomination (Jamil Dehlavi) – Milan Film Festival ::Best Supporting Actress Nomination (Kate Maravan) – Milan Film Festival ::Best Supporting Actor Nomination (Christopher Villiers) – Madrid International Film Festival * 2016: ''Blood Money'' (short film) ::Short Film Corner – Cannes Film Festival ::Best Picture – West Coast International Film Festival, USA ::Honorable Mention Award – Berlin International Film Awards ::Finalist – Polish International Film Festival

References

External links

Dehlavifilms
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dehlavi, Jamil 1944 births Living people British film directors British film producers Muhajir people Pakistani people of French descent Pakistani emigrants to the United Kingdom Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom French people of Pakistani descent Place of birth missing (living people) Karachi Grammar School alumni Film directors from Karachi Pakistani male film actors Columbia University School of the Arts alumni People educated at Rugby School Alumni of the University of Oxford