Asghar Farhadi (Persian: اصغر فرهادی, born 7 May 1972 in Homāyūnshahr, Isfahan) is a leading contemporary Iranian filmmaker who writes and directs films that examine moral dilemmas within private and social life. He first gained broad international attention in the 2000s and since then has been widely regarded for films that combine psychological insight with social realism.

Farhadi is known both as a meticulous film director and a careful screenwriter. Early in his career he worked in theatre and television, and he continues to write most of his own screenplays. His narratives often put ordinary people in extraordinary legal, ethical or interpersonal situations, and the films resist clear-cut moral judgments in favor of layered perspectives.

Major films

  • A Separation (2011) – A domestic drama about family, obligation and justice that won international acclaim and major awards.
  • About Elly (2009) – An ensemble story that explores friendship, social expectation and the search for truth.
  • The Past (2013) – A French-language drama filmed in Europe, showing his work in an international setting.
  • The Salesman (2016) – A tense study of pride and revenge set against social pressures.
  • Everybody Knows (2018) – A Spanish-language drama with an international cast that extends his themes of family and communal secrets.

For his work he has received a number of important awards, including a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2012 he was named one of the 100 Most Influential People by Time magazine. Such recognition helped bring wider attention to contemporary Iranian cinema and to the talents of filmmakers working in Iran.

Farhadi’s filmmaking style favors unobtrusive camerawork, realist mise-en-scène and scenes composed around sustained, revealing exchanges rather than heavy exposition. He often stages conflicts in domestic interiors where law, custom and personal conscience collide. Critics praise his ability to present multiple viewpoints and to ask difficult questions about accountability, compassion and social constraint.

While he continues to work with actors and crews in Iran, Farhadi has also led international co-productions and has collaborated with European and Latin actors and technicians. His prominence has at times intersected with diplomatic and festival controversies, but his artistic influence on younger filmmakers and his role in introducing Iranian narratives to global audiences remain widely acknowledged.