Danis Tanović
Tanović in 2014
Born (1969-02-20) 20 February 1969
Zenica, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia
NationalityBosnian
CitizenshipBosnian and Belgian
Alma materUniversity of Sarajevo; INSAS
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter
Years active1994–present
SpouseMaelys de Rudder
Children5

Danis Tanović (born 20 February 1969) is a Bosnian and Herzegovian film director and screenwriter. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for the Golden Bear and the Palme d'Or.

Tanović is best known for having directed and written the script for the film No Man's Land (2001), which won him many awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He has also written and directed the award-winning films An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker (2013) and Death in Sarajevo (2016).

Tanović is the only person born in the territory of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina to have won an Academy Award.

Early life

Tanović was born in Zenica, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia on 20 February 1969. He was raised in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo, where he also received his primary and secondary education.

Tanović attended the University of Sarajevo Music Conservatory, where he played the piano. As a young adult, he decided to study at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo.

Career

Early beginnings

Due to the siege of Sarajevo and the Bosnian War, following Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia, Tanović was forced to stop his studies in 1992. Immediately after war broke out, he formed a film crew that followed the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina going on dangerous missions. The material that he and the film crew produced has since been used in numerous films and news reports about the Siege of Sarajevo and the Bosnian War.

In late 1994, Tanović left the film crew he had worked with for over two years. A year later, he decided to resume his studies, this time in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 1997, he completed his studies in Brussels, graduating at the top of his class. During his studies, Tanović made several documentary films.

International recognition

Tanović and Viviane Reding filming for the Cannes Film Festival, 24 May 2002

Shortly after, Tanović began his first movie project, entitled No Man's Land. He wrote and directed the movie, which was completed in 2001 and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival that same year. No Man's Land went on to win the Award for Best Screenplay (Prix du scénario) at Cannes, followed by numerous awards including the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2001, the European Film Academy Award for Best Screenplay, the César for the Best First Feature Film, the André Cavens Award for Best Film in 2001, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002. Tanović was a member of the jury at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.

His second feature project was L'Enfer, completed in 2005, from the screenplay by the late Krzysztof Kieślowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz. The film marked the second installment in the Polish duo's projected trilogy Heaven (filmed by Tom Tykwer in 2002), Hell and Purgatory. Inspired by Euripides' Medea, L'Enfer explores the lives of three sisters, "each locked in her own unhappiness, nursing a secret flower of misery, the seed for which was planted by their late father with a terrible incident in their girlhood" (from a review by Peter Bradshaw).[1] The film received mixed reviews.[1][2][3][4]

Later projects

Tanović in 2008

Tanović's 2010 film Cirkus Columbia was selected as the Bosnian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards,[5] but it did not make the final shortlist.[6] In June 2011, he was bestowed with an "honoris causa" doctorate by the University of Sarajevo.

His 2013 film An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker premiered in competition at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival[7] where it won two prizes: Silver Bear for Best Actor and the Jury Grand Prix.[8] Tanović's 2016 film "Death in Sarajevo" won the Jury Grand Prix at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. It has also won the FIPRESCI Award for the best film in competition.

In March 2020, Tanović's film The Postcard Killings was released, based on the 2010 crime novel "The Postcard Killers". His latest film, Not So Friendly Neighborhood Affair, was released in August 2021, receiving positive reviews.[9]

Personal life

Tanović holds joint Bosnian and Belgian citizenship and lives in Sarajevo with his wife Maelys de Rudder and five children. He lived in Paris until 2007.[10]

Political engagement

Tanović announced in March 2008 that he would be founding a political party with his friend, director Dino Mustafić, called Our Party, which would start contesting elections with the municipal elections in October 2008. He stated his motivations as wanting to bring political change to the country; his announcement was received positively.[11][12]

Filmography

Year Film Director Writer Composer Screenplay Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
1995 Miracle in Bosnia Yes No No No
1996 L'Aube Yes No No Yes
1999 Buđenje Yes Yes No No
2001 No Man's Land Yes Yes Yes No 93%[13] 84%[14]
2002 11'09"01 September 11 Yes Yes No No 78%[15]
2005 Hell Yes No No No 67%[16]
2009 Triage Yes No Yes No
2010 Cirkus Columbia Yes No No No 80%[17] 57%[18]
2011 Prtljag Yes No No No
2013 An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker Yes Yes No No 93%[19]
2014 Tigers Yes Yes No Yes
2016 Death in Sarajevo Yes Yes No Yes 76%[20]
2020 The Postcard Killings Yes No No No 25%[21] 29%[22]
2021 Not So Friendly Neighborhood Affair Yes Yes No No

Television

Year Television show Episode/s Director Writer Producer
2022–2023 Kotlina[23][24] 5 episodes Yes Yes Yes

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
2001 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or No Man's Land Nominated [25][26]
Best Screenplay Won
European Film Awards Best Screenwriter Won
Belgian Film Critics Association André Cavens Award Won
2002 Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Foreign Language Film Won
César Awards Best Writing Nominated
European Film Academy Best Screenplay Won
2003 Cinema for Peace The Cinema for Peace Award for the Most Valuable Film of the Year Won
2013 Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker Nominated
Jury Grand Prix Won
2016 Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear Death in Sarajevo Nominated
Jury Grand Prix Won

References

  1. 1 2 Bradshaw, Peter (21 April 2006). "Hell (L'Enfer)". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. ↑ "'Pakao': Filmska ponuda koju Danis Tanović nije mogao odbiti". jutarnji.hr. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  3. ↑ Dawson, Tom (12 April 2006). "Hell (L'Enfer) (2006)". BBC. Archived from the original on 16 June 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Holden, Stephen (10 March 2006). "A Dose of French Film, Civil and Sane". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  5. ↑ "Bosnia selects Cirkus Columbia; Bulgaria submits Eastern Plays for Oscars". Screendaily. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  6. ↑ "9 Foreign Language Films Continue to Oscar Race". oscars.org. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  7. ↑ "Berlinale Competition 2013: Another Nine Films Confirmed". berlinale. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  8. ↑ "Prizes of the International Jury". berlinale. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  9. ↑ L.K. (5 August 2021). "Ekskluzivno pogledajte trailer za novi film Danisa Tanovića "Deset u pola"" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  10. ↑ "Pogledajte najljepše kreacije sa crvenog tepiha 24. Sarajevo Film Festivala" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  11. ↑ Oscar-winning director to establish new political party in BiH (SETimes.com)
  12. ↑ http://soc.kuleuven.be/iieb/docs/2009/26780_Touquet.pdf%5B%5D
  13. ↑ "No Mans Land". rottentomatoes.com. 2001. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  14. ↑ "No Mans Land". metacritic.com. 2001. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "11'09\"01 September 11". rottentomatoes.com. 2002. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  16. ↑ "L'Enfer". rottentomatoes.com. 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  17. ↑ "Circus Columbia". rottentomatoes.com. 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  18. ↑ "Circus Columbia". metacritic.com. 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  19. ↑ "An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker". rottentomatoes.com. 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  20. ↑ "Death in Sarajevo". rottentomatoes.com. 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  21. ↑ "The Postcard Killings". rottentomatoes.com. 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  22. ↑ "The Postcard Killings". metacritic.com. 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  23. ↑ Kriminalistička serija "Kotlina" na Federalnoj televiziji
  24. ↑ Regionalna serija Oscarom nagrađenog redatelja! 'Kotlinu' u režiji Danisa Tanovića ne propustite na PLAYU
  25. ↑ "Danis Tanović awards". IMDb. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  26. ↑ "Große Namen bei "Cinema for Peace"-Gala".
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