Darius Khondji AFC, ASC (Persian: داریوش خنجی; born 21 October 1955) is an Iranian-French cinematographer,[1][2] known for works from a number of high-profile directors, including David Fincher, Woody Allen, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and James Gray. He has been nominated for two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award and three César Awards.

Darius Khondji
داریوش خنجی
Khondji in 2017.
Born (1955-10-21) 21 October 1955 (age 69)
NationalityIranian
Alma materUCLA
New York University
International Center for Photography
Years active1984–present
SpouseMarianne Chemetov
Children3

Early life and education

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Khondji was born in Tehran, Iran, to an Iranian father and a French mother. At an early age, his family relocated in France. He became interested in film early on and made Super-8 films in his teens.[3] Later in life, he moved to the United States to study at UCLA and then majored in film from New York University and the International Center of Photography. During this period, two teachers influenced his decision to become a cinematographer: Jonas Mekas and Haig Manoogian (Martin Scorsese's film teacher).[3] He realized that "all I wanted to do was shoot the other students' films. I was concerned with the power of the image and much less with story."[4]

Career

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After his time in the United States, Khondji returned to France in 1981 and worked as an assistant for cinematographers like Bruno Nuytten, Martin Schafer and Pascal Marti. He also worked as a lighting director on music videos and commercials.[3]

His second feature film was Le tresor des Iles Chiennes (1991), a low budget, black and white, post-atomic adventure film. His work on this movie was significant enough to warrant the Cahiers du cinéma to publish one of its rare interviews with a cinematographer. It was on this film that he demonstrated an affinity for Cinemascope. He remarked in an interview, "I think it's the most beautiful format to frame. One can become absorbed in the faces when they're framed in 'Scope."[4] His subsequent work on Delicatessen established his international reputation and earned him a Cesar nomination for Best Cinematography. One of his highest profile films was Seven which he got based on a Nike ad he shot with David Fincher and his work on Delicatessen. His work on Evita was nominated for an Oscar for the Best Cinematography.

Darius worked on three European-shot films by Woody Allen: Midnight in Paris (2011),[5] To Rome with Love (2012)[6] and Magic in the Moonlight (2014).[7]

In 2012, Khondji shot the Palme d'Or-winning film Amour, which also won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for Best Picture.[8]

Creative inspiration

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Khondji cites Gregg Toland as his favorite cinematographer. "I particularly admire his work on John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath."[4] He also greatly admires James Wong Howe's work, in particular Hud. Khondji has said that his dream project would be "a 16mm black and white film of On the Road!"[4]

Personal life

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Khondji is married to Marianne Chemetov, a daughter of the French architect Paul Chemetov, and has three children: Marie-Louise, Josephine, and Alexandre.[1]

Filmography

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Short film

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Year Title Director Notes
1984 Courtes chasses Manuel Flèche
1985 Classique Christian Vincent
1986 Sur les talus Laurence Ferreira Barbosa
1988 Une femme pour l'hiver Manuel Flèche
K.O.K. Régine Chopinot
1991 Le trou de la corneille François Hanss
1994 Sado et Maso vont en bâteau Manuel Flèche Segment of Parano
2000 Inner Voices a film about Expression Peter Lindbergh Documentary short
2002 Tooba Shirin Neshat
2003 Ich kann dir die Welt nicht zu Füssen legen Ralf Schmerberg Segment of Poem: I Set My Foot Upon the Air and It Carried Me
2008 Protect You + Me. Brady Corbet
2010 Invisible Boy Philippe Parreno
2011 C.H.Z
2013 Prada: Candy Wes Anderson
Roman Coppola
Illusions & Mirrors Shirin Neshat
Castello Cavalcanti Wes Anderson
2016 Anywhen Philippe Parreno
Anywhen in a Time Colored Space
2018 Why Can't We Get Along Aaron Duffy
Benjamin Millepied
Bob Partington
2019 ANIMA Paul Thomas Anderson

Feature film

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Year Title Director Notes
1989 Embrasse-moi Michèle Rosier
1990 Le trésor des îles chiennes F. J. Ossang
1991 Delicatessen Marc Caro
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
1992 Prague Ian Sellar
1993 Shadow of a Doubt Aline Issermann
1995 The City of Lost Children Marc Caro
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Marie-Louise ou la permission Manuel Flèche With Florent Montcouquiol
Se7en David Fincher
1996 Stealing Beauty Bernardo Bertolucci
Evita Alan Parker
1997 Alien: Resurrection Jean-Pierre Jeunet
1999 In Dreams Neil Jordan
The Ninth Gate Roman Polanski
2000 The Beach Danny Boyle
2002 Panic Room David Fincher With Conrad W. Hall
2003 Anything Else Woody Allen
2004 Wimbledon Richard Loncraine
2005 The Interpreter Sydney Pollack
2006 Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait Douglas Gordon
Philippe Parreno
Documentary film
2007 My Blueberry Nights Wong Kar-wai With Pun-Leung Kwan
Funny Games Michael Haneke
2008 The Ruins Carter Smith
2009 Chéri Stephen Frears
2011 Midnight in Paris Woody Allen
2012 To Rome with Love
Amour Michael Haneke
2013 The Immigrant James Gray
2014 Magic in the Moonlight Woody Allen
2015 Irrational Man
2016 The Lost City of Z James Gray
2017 Okja Bong Joon-ho
2019 Uncut Gems Safdie brothers
2022 Armageddon Time James Gray
Bardo Alejandro González Iñárritu
2025 Mickey 17 Bong Joon-ho Post-production
TBA Eddington Ari Aster
Marty Supreme Josh Safdie Filming

Television

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Year Title Director Notes
1988 Méliès 1988 Aline Issermann Episode "Bénie soit celle par qui le scandale arrive"
2015 The Devil You Know Gus Van Sant Failed pilot
2019 Too Old to Die Young Nicolas Winding Refn 7 episodes (3 episodes with Diego García)
2020 Strasbourg 1518 Jonathan Glazer TV short[9]
2021 Lisey's Story Pablo Larraín Miniseries

Music videos

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Year Title Artist
1993 "Fever" Madonna
1996 "You Must Love Me"
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
1998 "Frozen"
1999 "Afrika Shox" Leftfield
2000 "Dirge" Death in Vegas
2001 "Boiler" Limp Bizkit
2008 "Miles Away" Madonna
2010 Sticky & Sweet Tour
2011 "Marry the Night" Lady Gaga
2014 "Everything" Neneh Cherry
2017 "Look What You Made Me Do" Taylor Swift
2018 "The Icon Project" Eminem
2019 "Marcy Me" Jay-Z

Awards and nominations

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Academy Awards

Year Title Category Result
1996 Evita Best Cinematography Nominated
2022 Bardo Nominated

BAFTA Awards

Year Title Category Result
1996 Evita Best Cinematography Nominated

American Society of Cinematographers

Year Title Category Result
1995 Se7en Outstanding Cinematography Nominated
1996 Evita Nominated
2013 The Immigrant Spotlight Award Nominated

British Society of Cinematographers

Year Title Category Result
1995 Se7en Best Cinematography Nominated
1996 Evita Nominated
2011 Midnight in Paris Nominated

César Awards

Year Title Category Result
1991 Delicatessen Best Cinematography Nominated
1995 The City of Lost Children Nominated
2012 Amour Nominated

Chicago Film Critics Association

Year Title Category Result
1995 Se7en Best Cinematography Won
1996 Evita Nominated
2022 Bardo Nominated

Independent Spirit Awards

Year Title Category Result
2011 Midnight in Paris Best Cinematography Nominated
2013 The Immigrant Nominated

Other Awards

Year Award Category Title Result
1995 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Cinematography Se7en Nominated
1996 Globo d'oro Best Cinematography Stealing Beauty Won
Camerimage Golden Frog Nominated
David di Donatello Best Cinematography Nominated
2012 European Film Awards Best Cinematographer Amour Nominated
2013 New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Cinematographer The Immigrant Won
National Society of Film Critics Best Cinematography Nominated
2014 Lumières Awards Best Cinematography Magic in the Moonlight Nominated
2016 San Diego Film Critics Society Best Cinematography The Lost City of Z Nominated
London Film Critics' Circle Technical Achievement of the Year Nominated

Exhibitions

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Darius Khondji". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. ^ Alex Ballinger (12 October 2004). New Cinematographers. Laurence King Publishing. pp. 2–. ISBN 978-1-85669-334-9.
  3. ^ a b c Sciolino, Elaine (2012-07-13). "The Cinematography of Darius Khondji". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  4. ^ a b c d Darke, Chris (April 1996). "Inside the Light". Sight and Sound.
  5. ^ "Contender – Director of Photography Darius Khondji, Midnight in Paris – Below the Line". Below the Line. 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  6. ^ "Cinematographer Darius Khondji on Woody Allen's To Rome with Love – Studio Daily". www.studiodaily.com. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  7. ^ "Cinematographer Darius Khondji, AFC, ASC, discusses his work on "Magic in the Moonlight", a film by Woody Allen". www.afcinema.com (in French). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  8. ^ "Darius Khondji AFC / Amour – British Cinematographer". British Cinematographer. 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  9. ^ "Strasbourg 1518: reliving a 16th-century 'dancing plague' in lockdown". the Guardian. 2020-07-19. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
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