Atiq Rahimi
Encyclopedia
Atiq Rahimi is a French
-Afghan
writer and film-maker.
to a senior public servant and attended high school in Lycée Esteqlal
. Following the Soviet invasion, Rahimi fled Afghanistan
, taking refuge in Pakistan
for a year and then relocating to France
after receiving political asylum.
On completion of his studies at the Sorbonne
, Rahimi joined a Paris
-based production company where he produced seven documentaries for French
television, as well as several commercials.
Taking time off in the late 1990s, Rahimi embarked on his first writing project. His 2000 Dari/Persian book, Earth and Ashes
, was an instant bestseller in Europe
and South America
. A movie based on this book, directed by Rahimi, was awarded the Prix du Regard vers l'Avenir at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival
. The film was featured in 50 festivals, winning a total of 25 awards including the one at Cannes and a Golden Dhow award for best feature film at the Zanzibar International Film Festival
.
In November 2008, Rahimi won France's most prestigious literary prize, the 105-year-old Prix Goncourt
, for Syngue Sabour. Described as "sober and alive" by French culture minister Christine Albanel
, it was translated into English as The Patience Stone. Rahimi’s fourth book and his first in French
, the novel tells the story of a woman whose husband has been wounded in battle in a country resembling Afghanistan and now lies as paralysed as a stone.
Returning to his native Afghanistan
in 2002, Rahimi became involved with the nation’s largest media group, Moby Group, as a senior creative advisor. The group, established by brothers Saad Mohseni
, Zaid Mohseni and Jahid Mohseni, owns Tolo TV, Arman FM, Kaboora Production, Barbud Music, Lemar TV, Afghan Scene Magazine, and a a host of other media related entities. Rahimi, who divides his time between Kabul
and Paris
, continues to work closely with the Moby Group in developing programs and genres for its media outlets, as well as helping develop and train a new generation of Afghan filmmakers and directors.
Rahimi created and developed Tolo TV’s "Raz ha een Khana" (Secrets of this House), Afghanistan’s first soap opera. The hugely popular "Secrets of this House" took the Special Award at the Seoul Drama Awards in October 2008.
Rahimi is currently (January 2010) in pre-production of the film version of "Syngué Sabour", which he will direct from his own screenplay, co-authored with Jean-Claude Carrière
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
writer and film-maker.
Life
He was born in 1962 in KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
to a senior public servant and attended high school in Lycée Esteqlal
Lycée Esteqlal
The Lycée Esteqlal is a Franco-Afghan school in Kabul, Afghanistan. It is the second oldest school in Kabul, and was recognized as one of the prestigious schools in the country....
. Following the Soviet invasion, Rahimi fled Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, taking refuge in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
for a year and then relocating to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after receiving political asylum.
On completion of his studies at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, Rahimi joined a Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-based production company where he produced seven documentaries for French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
television, as well as several commercials.
Taking time off in the late 1990s, Rahimi embarked on his first writing project. His 2000 Dari/Persian book, Earth and Ashes
Earth and Ashes
Earth and Ashes is a 2004 Afghan film directed by Atiq Rahimi. It was Afghanistan's submission to the 77th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee. It was also screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival...
, was an instant bestseller in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. A movie based on this book, directed by Rahimi, was awarded the Prix du Regard vers l'Avenir at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival
2004 Cannes Film Festival
The 2004 Cannes Film Festival started on May 12 and ran until May 23. The Palme d'Or went to the American film Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore.-Jury:* Quentin Tarantino, President * Emmanuelle Béart * Edwidge Danticat * Tilda Swinton...
. The film was featured in 50 festivals, winning a total of 25 awards including the one at Cannes and a Golden Dhow award for best feature film at the Zanzibar International Film Festival
Zanzibar International Film Festival
The Zanzibar International Film Festival , also known as Festival of the Dhow Countries, is an annual film festival held in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It has been described as the largest cultural event in East Africa. During the festival, films are shown in Stone Town in Zanzibar City, as well as rural...
.
In November 2008, Rahimi won France's most prestigious literary prize, the 105-year-old Prix Goncourt
Prix Goncourt
The Prix Goncourt is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year"...
, for Syngue Sabour. Described as "sober and alive" by French culture minister Christine Albanel
Christine Albanel
Christine Albanel is a French civil servant. From May 2007 to June 2009 she was France's Minister for Culture and Communication in François Fillon's government.Albanel is agrégé in classical Letters...
, it was translated into English as The Patience Stone. Rahimi’s fourth book and his first in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, the novel tells the story of a woman whose husband has been wounded in battle in a country resembling Afghanistan and now lies as paralysed as a stone.
Returning to his native Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 2002, Rahimi became involved with the nation’s largest media group, Moby Group, as a senior creative advisor. The group, established by brothers Saad Mohseni
Saad Mohseni
Saad Mohseni is an Afghan Media tycoon and entrepreneur in the show business. He is the chairman of MOBY Group, which is one of Afghanistan's largest media companies that owns Tolo TV, Tolo News, and Arman Radio...
, Zaid Mohseni and Jahid Mohseni, owns Tolo TV, Arman FM, Kaboora Production, Barbud Music, Lemar TV, Afghan Scene Magazine, and a a host of other media related entities. Rahimi, who divides his time between Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, continues to work closely with the Moby Group in developing programs and genres for its media outlets, as well as helping develop and train a new generation of Afghan filmmakers and directors.
Rahimi created and developed Tolo TV’s "Raz ha een Khana" (Secrets of this House), Afghanistan’s first soap opera. The hugely popular "Secrets of this House" took the Special Award at the Seoul Drama Awards in October 2008.
Rahimi is currently (January 2010) in pre-production of the film version of "Syngué Sabour", which he will direct from his own screenplay, co-authored with Jean-Claude Carrière
Jean-Claude Carrière
Jean-Claude Carrière is a screenwriter and actor. Alumnus of the École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud, he was a frequent collaborator with Luis Buñuel...
.
Works
- In Persian:
- Terre et cendres (Khâkestar-o-khâk), 2000.
- Les Mille Maisons du rêve et de la terreur, 2002.
- Le Retour imaginaire, 2005.
- In French:
- Syngué Sabour. Pierre de patience, 2008.
- In English:
- Earth and Ashes, 2003.
- A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear, 2007.
- Stone of Patience / The Patience Stone, 2010.