Asghar Farhadi Quotes

Powerful Asghar Farhadi for Daily Growth

About Asghar Farhadi

Asghar Farhadi (born May 24, 1972) is an internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker known for his poignant narratives that delve into the intricacies of human relationships, social issues, and cultural complexities. Born in Tehran, he developed an early interest in cinema after watching the works of Satyajit Ray and Akira Kurosawa. Farhadi's film career began as a screenwriter for various Iranian television series before moving on to write and direct feature films. His breakthrough came with "Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (2006), which won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Screenplay at the Fajr Film Festival. However, it was his 2011 film, "A Separation," that truly catapulted Farhadi into global prominence. The story of an Iranian couple's marital crisis and its far-reaching effects on their family and community, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This was followed by "The Past" (2013), another critically acclaimed film that explored themes of truth, betrayal, and forgiveness in a multicultural context. In 2016, Farhadi released "The Salesman," which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for the second time. The film, set in Tehran, explores the breakdown of a marriage and the blurred lines between revenge and justice. Farhadi's work often revolves around ordinary people dealing with extraordinary circumstances, reflecting his belief that cinema should serve as a mirror to society. His films have been praised for their nuanced portrayal of characters, compelling narratives, and thought-provoking themes. Despite facing challenges due to geopolitical tensions, Farhadi continues to push boundaries and challenge audiences with his poignant and powerful storytelling.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The greatest way to live with others is to make them feel there is a place in the world for them."

This quote by Asghar Farhadi emphasizes empathy, acceptance, and inclusivity as key elements for building harmonious relationships. By creating an environment where others feel valued and acknowledged, we foster feelings of belonging. This sentiment transcends cultural boundaries and encourages a sense of unity among individuals, promoting peace, understanding, and mutual respect in our diverse world.

"Life can be very difficult, but it's not fair to punish the innocent for the mistakes of the guilty."

This quote suggests that while life is challenging, it's unfair and unjust to penalize the blameless for the transgressions of the culpable. It underscores the importance of ensuring justice and fairness in our dealings with each other, emphasizing that individuals should not bear undue suffering due to circumstances beyond their control or the actions of others.

"Words are the most powerful tool humans have. They can build bridges across generations and oceans, or they can destroy everything in their path."

This quote by Asghar Farhadi emphasizes the immense power that words hold in human interaction. They serve not only as a means of communication but also as instruments to foster understanding, empathy, and connections among individuals, cultures, and generations. However, when misused or carelessly wielded, words can lead to conflict, misunderstanding, and destruction. Thus, it is crucial for us to use our words responsibly and thoughtfully, recognizing their immense potential both to build and to tear down.

"Truth always seems elusive when one is seeking it only to justify oneself."

Asghar Farhadi suggests that when one pursues truth primarily to validate one's own perspective or actions, finding the truth becomes challenging. This quote emphasizes that sincere pursuit of truth should be unbiased and selfless, rather than driven by personal justification or validation. When we prioritize our egos over the search for objective truth, it can cloud our judgment and lead to misunderstandings or errors in understanding reality.

"Everyone puts their own interpretation on their actions, but the truth is that our intentions are always far more complex than we think."

Asghar Farhadi's quote suggests that individuals often misjudge their own motivations, underestimating the complexity of their intentions. This can lead to differences in perception about one's actions, as others may interpret them differently based on their unique perspectives and experiences. The statement underscores the human capacity for self-deception and the need for empathy and understanding when interpreting the actions of others.

Iranian filmmakers are not passive. They fight whenever they can, as creative expression means a lot to them. The restrictions and censorship in Iran are a bit like the British weather: one day it's sunny, the next day it's raining. You just have to hope you walk out into the sunshine.

- Asghar Farhadi

Sunshine, Next, Iranian, British

Unless you're trying to make a movie on the sly, there's no way to get around this. If you want to use public spaces, film on the streets, have the cooperation of the police, you have to have a permit.

- Asghar Farhadi

Movie, Streets, Use, Sly

In most cultures, men represent tradition and women represent change and future. Women, because of their ability to give birth, are more connected to future. Men tend to keep the status quo.

- Asghar Farhadi

Change, Give, More, Status Quo

I lived in Paris for two years with my family. I would roam the streets of Paris during the day for a few hours in the subway, on the streets, and I listened to the French language, and I got a sense of the rhythm and the melody of the language.

- Asghar Farhadi

Language, Streets, Hours, French Language

During all of my writing career - this includes when I was writing plays and my other screenplays - I don't recall ever writing a negative character, which does not mean that my characters aren't flawed or do not make mistakes. In actual fact, they all are quite flawed.

- Asghar Farhadi

Career, Fact, Other, Screenplays

We have the wrong impression of life. We think the very big incidents of our lives are consequences of huge dilemmas or major decisions. If we paid attention, we'd realize that the determining incidents in our lives are ordinary things.

- Asghar Farhadi

Big, Very, Our, Decisions

I try very hard to write in a very orderly and continual disciplined manner.

- Asghar Farhadi

Try, Very, Disciplined, Orderly

Poetry, especially traditional Iranian poetry, is very good at looking at things from a number of different angles simultaneously.

- Asghar Farhadi

Angles, Very, Iranian, Simultaneously

Before I worked on film, I studied the theatre, and I expected that I would spend my whole career in theatre. Gradually, I started writing for the cinema. However, I feel grateful towards the theatre. I love working with spectators, and I love this experience with the theatre, and I like theatre culture.

- Asghar Farhadi

Love, Career, However, Spectators

For the Americans, it is not attractive to hear what the similarities are between them and the Iranian people. It is attractive to hear how different the Iranians are.

- Asghar Farhadi

How, Similarities, Iranian, Iranians

Whenever I write a part, I think there's this person somewhere in the world that this part is specifically for, and all I have to do is go searching to find that particular individual.

- Asghar Farhadi

Think, Individual, I Think, Specifically

When we talk about self-confrontations, we are speaking about moral issues rather than social issues.

- Asghar Farhadi

Social, Rather, About, Social Issues

I always feel that a viewer has an expectation about every moment of the film and where it's going, so if I act against that, I've created a twist. In fact, it becomes a kind of game with the expectations of the viewer. This is the superficial appearance. In the layer beneath, there is a hidden theme.

- Asghar Farhadi

Game, Fact, Viewer, Twist

The goal in some types of yoga is to try and reconcile all the characters within a person, and, in fact, the word 'yoga' comes from the word 'union.'

- Asghar Farhadi

Goal, Some, Types, Reconcile

The process of writing is like creating a game of dominoes: The first domino creates the second incident, and so forth until the end.

- Asghar Farhadi

Game, Process, Like, Incident

I pay lots of homages. I wanted to pay tribute to a leading Iranian writer, Gholam - Hossein Sa'edi, who is buried in Paris - he is an Iranian Arthur Miller. He is of a similar stature, and his work is similar to that of Arthur Miller.

- Asghar Farhadi

Similar, Arthur, Iranian, Stature

The success of one film may convince the filmmaker to try repeat his successes and get into a competition with himself. One cannot dwell on periodic successes. You have to look at it as a temporary, passing thing.

- Asghar Farhadi

Temporary, May, Periodic, Passing

There is no privilege in restriction. In other words, I disagree with people who say restriction makes you more creative. I think that's a misleading slogan. I might have been more creative without them than with them.

- Asghar Farhadi

Think, Other, Been, Slogan

It's not some big event that creates the drama, it's the little things of everyday life that bring about that drama.

- Asghar Farhadi

Little Things, Big, Some, Everyday

Often times, music is used to evoke an emotion and it's become a cliche, so I don't want to do that, and actually what I do, is that emotional intensity that has developed throughout the film, I allow it to get released by having that music at the end with the credits.

- Asghar Farhadi

Used, Allow, Developed, Credits

Working with children is very different than the way in which I work with adults. One has to work just as much with children as with adults, but the manner of work is very different. I never tell the children the actual truth of the thing that I want them to act.

- Asghar Farhadi

Very, Which, Actual, Just As Much

I gained a great deal from the period during which I worked in theater and I value those things a great deal.

- Asghar Farhadi

Deal, Which, Period, Great Deal

Classical tragedy was the war between good and evil. We wanted evil to be defeated and good to be victorious. But the battle in modern tragedy is between good and good. And no matter which side wins, we'll still be heartbroken.

- Asghar Farhadi

Side, Wins, Which, Between

Doing interviews about my films really bothers me sometimes, because I have to speak directly and clearly about things I've intended to keep ambiguous, and in a way, I feel like I'm betraying my film.

- Asghar Farhadi

Doing, Sometimes, About, Ambiguous

I feel that it means a lot to the people of Iran that my film is represented at the Oscars, and it makes me happy to bring them that joy, that I'm representing them and that I'm able to give them that element of pleasure to be the envoy from Iran. It's a very pleasant thing.

- Asghar Farhadi

Happy, Bring, Very, Element

I tend to jot down moments, lines, interactions that don't really make any sense. I try and explain these scattered notes to my close friends, and they become more and more logical. I see screenwriting as a bit like a math equation which I have to solve.

- Asghar Farhadi

Explain, Close Friends, Interactions

Art removes boundaries and makes the world brighter. It is the common language for people all over the world. But politics are the opposite completely. Politicians, their very meaning is based on the lines they draw.

- Asghar Farhadi

Politics, Over, Very, Lines

You must know that Iran has a great number of productions. Many films are released. Most of them, like in the rest of the world, are commercial and shallow films. These are the most popular ones. And there are a few ones that actually develop more profound and thoughtful aspects of life. Only some of these films travel out of Iran.

- Asghar Farhadi

Some, Commercial, Aspects, Shallow

I really think of myself just as a filmmaker.

- Asghar Farhadi

Myself, Think, Just, Filmmaker

It's the governments that create the problems. People are fun; people get along. People in Iran really love Americans. There is no problem between us.

- Asghar Farhadi

Love, Iran, Governments, Problems

There are those who simply want to live their lives, and feel they cannot live the way they want to in Iran. Others are ideologically motivated: They will stay no matter what and try to change things.

- Asghar Farhadi

Will, Motivated, Lives, Change Things

After 'A Separation,' I found it much easier to work in Iran because I worked with very enthusiastic people who were very involved in the work, and that facilitated a number of things. It made it possible to iron out some of the difficulties found by other filmmakers in Iran.

- Asghar Farhadi

Some, Other, Very, Enthusiastic

Even the things we are certain about are only an illusion. We are born with a female side and a male side, and these two sides are always fighting and challenging each other. This is why anything we want to do, we have the other side of telling us not to do it, to be careful about it.

- Asghar Farhadi

Other, Telling, About, Female

I can't make pronouncements about the entirety of Iranian cinema, because there's such a great number of filmmakers and because of the diversity of points of view and filmmaking attitudes.

- Asghar Farhadi

Attitudes, Iranian, Entirety, Filmmakers

I would have had the same narrative, regardless of the atmosphere and the restrictions.

- Asghar Farhadi

Same, Atmosphere, Would, Regardless

I don't have a problem if someone else were to say that one of my characters is a good one and another one is not and is a bad one. I try myself not to have any judgment towards my characters, but certainly the audience might.

- Asghar Farhadi

Audience, Bad, Certainly, Bad One

Each person makes their own choice, but my spirit is meant to stay in Iran, especially with the work that I do, and with the emotional connection I have with the country - with all its difficulties, this is why I stay.

- Asghar Farhadi

Work, Country, Meant, Connection

If you give an answer to your viewer, your film will simply finish in the movie theatre. But when you pose questions, your film actually begins after people watch it. In fact, your film will continue inside the viewer.

- Asghar Farhadi

Fact, Give, Viewer, Simply

When I came to know theater, drama became valuable to me.

- Asghar Farhadi

Drama, Theater, Became, I Came

It's been interesting to see how similar audiences in the East and West are, actually, and how it makes you realize that when politicians emphasize the differences between our cultures, it's usually because it benefits them more so than us.

- Asghar Farhadi

Differences, Benefits, Been, Politicians

Is there one specific source that determines correct morality and everybody should follow that? Or should individuals come up with following that source or not depending on their situation?

- Asghar Farhadi

Come, Everybody, Correct, Following

I prefer to stay in my country. But this doesn't mean if someone does want to leave Iran, I think they've done something wrong - the desire to leave is completely understandable.

- Asghar Farhadi

Think, Country, I Think, Understandable

You can make a film in a way that, when the audience leaves the theater, they leave with certain answers in their head. But when you leave them with answers, you interrupt the process of thinking. If, instead, you raise questions about the themes and the story, this means that the audience is on its way to start thinking.

- Asghar Farhadi

Questions, Answers, About, Interrupt

I have two daughters.

- Asghar Farhadi

Two, Daughters

I feel it's important to talk about the complex issues affecting us.

- Asghar Farhadi

Important, Complex, About, Affecting

I must say here in France I had more serenity or security as I was working because I knew I was making the film the way I wished and that the film would be seen, ultimately, which is not always the case in Iran. In Iran, you always work having in mind this worry of will I be able to carry on my project as I wish and will the audience see the film.

- Asghar Farhadi

Serenity, Here, Wished, France

When I decide to write a story, I don't think too much about what I want it to be, I just let things come naturally and this is how it turns out. It's just how my subconscious works.

- Asghar Farhadi

Think, Want, Works, Subconscious

The fact is I'm not making a film in order to draw pictures or make images about Iran.

- Asghar Farhadi

Fact, Making, Images, Draw

I think it's insulting to an audience to make them sit and watch a film and then give them a message in one sentence.

- Asghar Farhadi

Think, Give, Sentence, Insulting

I think every human being in the world appreciates being encouraged and acknowledged.

- Asghar Farhadi

Think, I Think, Appreciates, Acknowledged

It's very difficult to talk about religion in Iran because religion has gotten so mixed up with politics.

- Asghar Farhadi

Politics, Very, Gotten, Iran

I like storytelling movies and more than that I like historical movies; and I think someday I'll definitely make a movie about the past 50 years history.

- Asghar Farhadi

Think, Storytelling, I Think, Historical

For me, character comes from a specific condition or situation. I cannot really define a character outside that situation.

- Asghar Farhadi

Character, Me, Condition, Specific

The bigger confrontation is the one an individual has with itself.

- Asghar Farhadi

Bigger, Individual, Itself, Confrontation

There are many actors I really like and whose work I admire.

- Asghar Farhadi

Work, Like, Many, Admire

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