Danis Tanović | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tanović in 2014 | |
| Born | (1969-02-20)20 February 1969 (age 56) |
| Citizenship | |
| Alma mater | University of Sarajevo |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Political party | Our Party (2008–present) |
| Spouse | Maelys de Rudder |
| Children | 5 |
Danis Tanović (born 20 February 1969) is a Bosnian film director and screenwriter. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including anAcademy Award and aGolden Globe Award, as well as nominations for theGolden Bear and thePalme d'Or.
Tanović is known for having directed and written the script for the filmNo Man's Land (2001), which won him many awards, including anAcademy Award and aGolden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He has also written and directed the award-winning filmsAn Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker (2013) andDeath in Sarajevo (2016).
Tanović is the only person born in the territory of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina to have won an Academy Award.
Tanović was born inZenica,SR Bosnia and Herzegovina,SFR Yugoslavia on 20 February 1969. He was raised in the Bosnian capital ofSarajevo, where he also received his primary and secondary education.
Tanović attended theUniversity of Sarajevo Music Conservatory, where he played the piano. As a young adult, he decided to study at theAcademy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo.
Due to thesiege of Sarajevo and theBosnian War, followingBosnia 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 theArmy 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 inBrussels, the capital ofBelgium. In 1997, he completed his studies in Brussels, graduating at the top of his class. During his studies, Tanović made several documentary films.
Shortly after, Tanović began his first movie project, entitledNo Man's Land. He wrote and directed the movie, which was completed in 2001 and premiered at theCannes Film Festival that same year.No Man's Land went on to win theAward for Best Screenplay (Prix du scénario) at Cannes, followed by numerous awards including theOscar forBest Foreign Language Film in 2001, theEuropean Film Academy Award for Best Screenplay, theCésar for the Best First Feature Film, theAndré Cavens Award for Best Film in 2001, and theGolden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002. Tanović was a member of the jury at the2003 Cannes Film Festival.
His second feature project wasL'Enfer, completed in 2005, from the screenplay by the lateKrzysztof Kieślowski andKrzysztof Piesiewicz. The film marked the second installment in the Polish duo's projected trilogyHeaven (filmed byTom Tykwer in 2002),Hell and Purgatory. Inspired byEuripides'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 byPeter Bradshaw).[1] The film received mixed reviews.[1][2][3][4]
Tanović's 2010 filmCirkus Columbia was selected as the Bosnian entry for theBest Foreign Language Film at the83rd Academy Awards,[5] but it did not make the final shortlist.[6] In June 2011, he was bestowed with an "honoris causa" doctorate by theUniversity of Sarajevo.
His 2013 filmAn Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker premiered in competition at the63rd Berlin International Film Festival[7] where it won two prizes:Silver Bear for Best Actor and theJury Grand Prix.[8] Tanović's 2016 film "Death in Sarajevo" won theJury Grand Prix at the66th Berlin International Film Festival. It has also won the FIPRESCI Award for the best film in competition.
In March 2020, Tanović's filmThe Postcard Killings was released, based on the 2010 crime novel "The Postcard Killers". The filmNot So Friendly Neighborhood Affair was released in August 2021, receiving positive reviews.[9] His latest film,My Late Summer, premiered at the 30thSarajevo Film Festival on 16 August 2024.[10][11]
Tanović holds jointBosnian andBelgian citizenship and lives inSarajevo with his wife Maelys de Rudder and five children. He lived inParis until 2007.[12]
Tanović announced in March 2008 that he would be founding a political party with his friend, directorDino Mustafić, calledOur Party, which would start contesting elections with themunicipal elections in October 2008. He stated his motivations as wanting to bring political change to the country; his announcement was received positively.[13][14]
| 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%[15] | 84%[16] |
| 2002 | 11'09"01 September 11 | Yes | Yes | No | No | 78%[17] | |
| 2005 | Hell | Yes | No | No | No | 67%[18] | |
| 2009 | Triage | Yes | No | Yes | No | ||
| 2010 | Cirkus Columbia | Yes | No | No | No | 80%[19] | 57%[20] |
| 2011 | Prtljag | Yes | No | No | No | ||
| 2013 | An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker | Yes | Yes | No | No | 93%[21] | |
| 2014 | Tigers | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| 2016 | Death in Sarajevo | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 76%[22] | |
| 2020 | The Postcard Killings | Yes | No | No | No | 25%[23] | 29%[24] |
| 2021 | Not So Friendly Neighborhood Affair | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| 2024 | My Late Summer | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Year | Television show | Episode/s | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2023 | Kotlina[25][26] | 5 episodes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Cannes Film Festival | Palme d'Or | No Man's Land | Nominated | [27][28] |
| 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 Original Screenplay or Adaptation | 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 |
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