نبذة عن الفيلم
Darius Khondji
Master
With a career spanning over four decades, Khondji’s work is celebrated for its versatility, innovation, and profound emotional resonance.
With a career spanning over four decades, Khondji’s work is celebrated for its versatility, innovation, and profound emotional resonance.
Born in Tehran in 1955, Khondji’s love of cinema began at a very early age inside his father’s movie theatres. Captivated by film posters and stills, his passion for the art form took root. Moving to France as a boy, his early fascination eventually evolved into a serious pursuit of film studies at New York University and the International Center of Photography, where he was mentored by influential figures such as Jonas Mekas and Haig Manoogian, drawing inspiration from legendary cinematographers like Gregg Toland and James Wong Howe. These formative experiences set the foundation for a career defined by an exceptional command of visual language and a vast aesthetic vocabulary.
His breakthrough came with Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro’s ‘Delicatessen’ (1991), earning him his first César Award nomination. His subsequent collaborations with David Fincher on ‘Se7en’ (1995) and ‘Panic Room’ (2002) further solidified his reputation for crafting atmospherically rich visuals that elevate every project he undertakes.
Renowned for this adaptability, Khondji has worked with celebrated directors, including on Michael Haneke’s Academy-Award-winning ‘Amour’ (2012), James Gray’s ‘The Immigrant’ (2013) and ‘The Lost City of Z’ (2016), and Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Okja’ (2017). His work on Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s ‘Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths’ (2022) earned him an Academy Award nomination, an ASC nomination, and a Silver Frog at Camerimage.
Khondji’s accolades to date include two Academy Award nominations, the second for Alan Parker’s ‘Evita’ (1996), a BAFTA nomination and multiple César Award nominations. In 2022, he received the prestigious Pierre Angénieux Tribute at the Cannes Film Festival, recognising his extraordinary contributions to the art of cinematography.
From the gritty, unsettling tones of ‘Se7en’ to the lush, nostalgic hues of ‘The Immigrant’, Khondji’s cinematography is marked by a profound understanding of light’s emotional power. His relentless innovation, evident in recent and upcoming projects with Josh Safdie on ‘Uncut Gems’ (2019) and ‘Marty Supreme’ (2025) and on Bong Joon Ho‘s ‘Mickey 17’ (2025)—continue to demonstrate his incredible range and enduring influence on modern cinema.
At Qumra 2025, Darius Khondji will share his artistic journey and his meticulous approach to visual storytelling, offering filmmakers and audiences invaluable insights into crafting images that resonate long after the screen fades to black.
Born in Tehran in 1955, Khondji’s love of cinema began at a very early age inside his father’s movie theatres. Captivated by film posters and stills, his passion for the art form took root. Moving to France as a boy, his early fascination eventually evolved into a serious pursuit of film studies at New York University and the International Center of Photography, where he was mentored by influential figures such as Jonas Mekas and Haig Manoogian, drawing inspiration from legendary cinematographers like Gregg Toland and James Wong Howe. These formative experiences set the foundation for a career defined by an exceptional command of visual language and a vast aesthetic vocabulary.
His breakthrough came with Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro’s ‘Delicatessen’ (1991), earning him his first César Award nomination. His subsequent collaborations with David Fincher on ‘Se7en’ (1995) and ‘Panic Room’ (2002) further solidified his reputation for crafting atmospherically rich visuals that elevate every project he undertakes.
Renowned for this adaptability, Khondji has worked with celebrated directors, including on Michael Haneke’s Academy-Award-winning ‘Amour’ (2012), James Gray’s ‘The Immigrant’ (2013) and ‘The Lost City of Z’ (2016), and Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Okja’ (2017). His work on Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s ‘Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths’ (2022) earned him an Academy Award nomination, an ASC nomination, and a Silver Frog at Camerimage.
Khondji’s accolades to date include two Academy Award nominations, the second for Alan Parker’s ‘Evita’ (1996), a BAFTA nomination and multiple César Award nominations. In 2022, he received the prestigious Pierre Angénieux Tribute at the Cannes Film Festival, recognising his extraordinary contributions to the art of cinematography.
From the gritty, unsettling tones of ‘Se7en’ to the lush, nostalgic hues of ‘The Immigrant’, Khondji’s cinematography is marked by a profound understanding of light’s emotional power. His relentless innovation, evident in recent and upcoming projects with Josh Safdie on ‘Uncut Gems’ (2019) and ‘Marty Supreme’ (2025) and on Bong Joon Ho‘s ‘Mickey 17’ (2025)—continue to demonstrate his incredible range and enduring influence on modern cinema.
At Qumra 2025, Darius Khondji will share his artistic journey and his meticulous approach to visual storytelling, offering filmmakers and audiences invaluable insights into crafting images that resonate long after the screen fades to black.