Ramin Bahrani


Ramin Bahrani is an American director and screenwriter. Film critic Roger Ebert listed Bahrani's film Chop Shop as the sixth-best film of the 2000s and hailed Bahrani as "the new director of the decade." Bahrani was the recipient of the prestigious 2009 Guggenheim Fellowship. Bahrani is also a professor of film directing at the Columbia University School of the Arts, his alma mater.

Early life and education

Bahrani was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the son of Iranian immigrants. His father, originally from Shiraz, initially exposed him to the poetic works of Hafez and encouraged him to pursue his passion for the arts. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in New York City. Bahrani also studied filmmaking in Iran and briefly lived in Paris after graduating from college.

Career

Bahrani first feature film, Man Push Cart, premiered at the Venice Film Festival and screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006. The film won over 10 international prizes, was released theatrically around the world, and was nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards.
Bahrani's second film Chop Shop premiered at the 2007 Director's Fortnight of the Cannes International Film Festival, and then screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival before being released theatrically to wide and universal critical acclaim. Bahrani was awarded the prestigious 2007 Someone to Watch Award Independent Spirit Award. In 2008, he was nominated for Best Director Independent Spirit Award.
Goodbye Solo, Bahrani's third feature film, premiered as an official selection of the Venice Film Festival where it won the international film critic's FIPRESCI award for best film, and later had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was called a "masterpiece" by numerous critics including Roger Ebert, and A. O. Scott of The New York Times.
In 2009, he made a short film Plastic Bag which features the voice of German filmmaker Werner Herzog and an original score from Kjartan Sveinsson of the band Sigur Rós. Plastic Bag premiered as the opening night film of Corto Cortissimo in the Venice Film Festival where Bahrani was also on the jury for Best First Films. It later screened at Telluride and The New York Film Festival. In 2012 he made a music video of the song "Eg anda" for the Sigur Ros album Valtari.
Bahrani's fourth feature film, At Any Price stars Dennis Quaid, Zac Efron, Heather Graham, Kim Dickens, Clancy Brown and Chelcie Ross. It was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival. The film, despite its relative star power and a notable performance by Dennis Quaid, received mixed reviews from most critics and earned less than $500,000 at the box office.
Bahrani's fifth feature film 99 Homes opened to strong reviews at the Venice Film Festival, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
Bahrani's film for HBO, Fahrenheit 451, an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's 1953 dystopian novel of the same name. was released on May 12, 2018, earning mixed-to-negative reviews.

Filmography

Accolades