Join or Sign In

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Atom Egoyan Biography

Birth Name:Atom Yeghoyan

Birth Place:Cairo, Egypt

Profession Director, Producer, Writer, Actor, Editor, Soundtrack, Editorial department, Camera department

Fast Facts

Named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999, the highest honor a Canadian civilian can receive
Studied International Relations at the University of Toronto
Became interested in reading and writing plays as a teenager and was greatly influenced by Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, as well as by Ingmar Bergman's film "Persona․"
Created a short film in college called "Howard in Particular," which was shown at the Canadian National Exhibition film festival
Quote: "Don't get depressed about not being where you want to be․ This nagging feeling of anxiety is actually called ambition․ Ambition is your friend․"
Quote: "(On communication technologies): "I think we're saturated with a degree of intimacy we would never have expected, and we're trying to sort through this idea of complete access to each other's lives․․․Our emotions aren't filtered out at all․""
Quote: "(On his film "Ararat," which addresses the 1915 genocide of Armenians by the Turkish Empire): "So this was the great challenge for me and to show how powerful a force art can be in dealing with trauma and how it is the vindication․""
Best known for directing films that explore the idea of technology damaging human relationships, such as "Next of Kin," "Exotica," and "The Sweet Hereafter․"
His wife, Arsinée Khanjian, has appeared in nearly all of his movies, with the exception of "Chloe․"
Is a faculty member at the University of Toronto and teaches an Intensive Summer Seminar in film at the European Graduate School

Awards

1984Interfilm Award - Honorable Mention-: winner
1984Mannheim Film Ducat-: winner
1985Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: nominated
1987Best Canadian Feature Film-: winner
1988Interfilm Award - Honorable Mention-Forum of New Cinema: winner
1988Genie-Best Motion Picture: nominated
1988Genie-Best Achievement in Film Editing: nominated
1988Genie-Best Screenplay: nominated
1988Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: nominated
1988Prize of the Ecumenical Jury-: winner
1988Prize of the City of Torino-Best Feature Film: nominated
1988Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1989Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1989Special Mention-: winner
1989Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1989Best Canadian Screenplay-: winner
1990Genie-Best Motion Picture: nominated
1990Genie-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
1990Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: nominated
1991SACD Prize-Directors' Fortnight: nominated
1991Best Canadian Film-: winner
1991Best Ontario Feature-: winner
1991Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: nominated
1991Special Jury Prize-: winner
1991Golden St. George-: nominated
1991Best Canadian Feature Film-: winner
1991Golden Spike-Best Film: winner
1993Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: nominated
1993Genie-Best Screenplay: nominated
1993Special Jury Prize-: winner
1994Palme d'Or-: nominated
1994FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
1994Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1994Best Canadian Film-: winner
1994Genie-Best Motion Picture: winner
1994Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: winner
1994Genie-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
1994Best Canadian Feature Film-: winner
1994Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1994Silver Spike-Best Film: winner
1995Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1996AVN Award-Best Alternative Adult Film: winner
1996CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1996Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
1997Canadian Award-Best Canadian Film or Video over 60 Minutes: winner
1997BSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
1997Palme d'Or-: nominated
1997Grand Prize of the Jury-: winner
1997Prize of the Ecumenical Jury-: winner
1997FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
1997Jury Award-Best Film: winner
1997Genie-Best Motion Picture: winner
1997Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: winner
1997Genie-Best Screenplay: nominated
1997LAFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
1997NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1997STFC Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
1997STFC Award-Best Director: winner
1997Special Jury Award-: winner
1997Best Canadian Feature Film-: winner
1997Golden Spike-Best Film: winner
1997Youth Jury Award-Competition: winner
1998Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1998Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published: nominated
1998CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
1998CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1998Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: nominated
1998Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1998Gemini-Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series: nominated
1998NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
1998NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Canadian Film: winner
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Drama Picture: nominated
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
1998Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
1998SEFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
1998TFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1998USC Scripter Award-: nominated
1998WGC Award-: winner
1999Palme d'Or-: nominated
1999Sant Jordi-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1999Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
2000Bodil-Best Non-American Film (Bedste ikke amerikanske film): nominated
2000Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: nominated
2000Genie-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2000Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
2002Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
2003DGC Team Award-Outstanding Achievement in a Feature Film: nominated
2003DGC Craft Award-Outstanding Achievement in Direction - Feature Film: nominated
2003Best Film-: winner
2003Best Direction-: winner
2003Genie-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2003Genie-Best Motion Picture: winner
2003VFCC Award-Best Director - Canadian Film: nominated
2003WGC Award-: winner
2004Grand Prix - Golden Apricot-Best Film: winner
2005Palme d'Or-: nominated
2006DGC Team Award-Outstanding Feature Film: nominated
2006DGC Craft Award-Outstanding Direction - Feature Film: nominated
2006Genie-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2006WGC Award-Feature Film: nominated
2008Prize of the Ecumenical Jury-: winner
2008Palme d'Or-: nominated
2008Art Cinema Award-: nominated
2008Art Cinema Award - Special Mention-: winner
2008Best Canadian Feature Film - Special Jury Citation-: winner
2008Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
2010DGC Craft Award-Outstanding Achievement in Direction - Feature Film: nominated
2010DGC Team Award-Outstanding Team Achievement in a Feature Film: nominated
2010Genie-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2010Festival Prize-Best Feature Film: winner
2013Golden Seashell-Best Film: nominated
2014Palme d'Or-: nominated
2015Canadian Screen Award-Original Screenplay: nominated
2015Canadian Screen Award-Achievement in Direction: nominated
2015Art Cinema Award-: nominated
2015Best Film-International Competition: nominated
2015Cinecolor Audience Award-: winner
2015Audience Award-World Cinema: nominated
2015Best Canadian Feature Film-: nominated
2015VFCC Award-Best Director of a Canadian Film: nominated
2015Green Drop Award-: nominated
2015Vittorio Veneto Film Festival Award-: winner
2015Golden Lion-: nominated
2016Golden Eagle-Narrative Content: Feature - Live Action: nominated
2016David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
2016DGC Team Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
2016Jury Prize-Best Film: winner
2016SIGNIS Award-: nominated
2017Jury Prize-Best Feature Film: winner
2018Felix-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019Best Canadian Feature Film-: nominated
2019Golden Lion-Best Film: nominated
2023WIFF Prize in Canadian Film-: nominated
2024VFCC Award-Best Director in a Canadian Film: nominated
2025Canadian Screen Award-Achievement in Direction: nominated
2025Canadian Screen Award-Adapted Screenplay: nominated