Born in Minaeh, Iran, in 1960, he studied film and TV directing in Tehran. The most important Iranian filmmaker currently active, he was Abbas Kiarostami’s assistant director in "Through the Olive Trees" (1994, 18th Mostra), winner of the Critic’s Prize at the 18th Mostra. "The White Balloon" (1995, 19th Mostra), his first feature film as a director, was awarded the Golden Camera at the Cannes Film Festival. He has also directed titles such as "The Mirror" (1997, 22nd Mostra, where he was also a member of the International Jury), winner of the Locarno Film Festival, "The Circle" (2000, 24th Mostra), winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, "Crimson Gold" (2003, 28th Mostra), winner of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes, and "Offside" (2006, 30th Mostra), winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlinale. In 2010, he was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from filmmaking or leaving Iran for two decades under the charge of propaganda against the Iranian government. The following year, he directed "This Is Not a Film" (2011, 35th Mostra). He also directed "Closed Curtain" (2013, 37th Mostra), for which he received the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlin International Film Festival, "Taxi Tehran" (2015), Best Film at the Berlinale, and "3 Faces" (2018, 42nd Mostra), Best Screenplay at Cannes. The filmmaker received the Humanity Award at the 42nd Mostra in 2018.