Hossein Amini

Biography

Hossein Amini is an Iranian-born British screenwriter and film director, widely recognized for his masterful adaptations of literary works and his compelling original screenplays. With a career spanning over three decades, Amini has earned critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for his evocative storytelling and keen understanding of character.

Biography and Early Life

Born on January 18, 1966, in Iran, Hossein Amini moved to England with his family at the age of eleven. He attended Bryanston School in Dorset and later won a scholarship to Wadham College, Oxford, where he studied history and modern languages. It was during his time at Oxford that he first explored his passion for filmmaking, writing, directing, and co-starring in the short crime film "Catch" (1989). Initially, he considered a career as a writer-director after these early experiences.

Career Highlights and Screenwriting Acclaim

Amini's professional screenwriting career began in the early 1990s with television films. His debut, the 1994 TV movie "The Dying of the Light," which focused on the murder of an aid worker in Somalia, earned a BAFTA Television nomination for Best Single Drama. This early success paved the way for more opportunities in both television and feature films.

He quickly gained recognition for his adeptness at adapting complex novels for the screen:

• Jude (1996): He adapted Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure" for director Michael Winterbottom, starring Christopher Eccleston and Kate Winslet. The film won the Edinburgh Film Festival prize for Best British Film.
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• The Wings of the Dove (1997): Amini's adaptation of Henry James's novel garnered significant critical acclaim, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay, as well as a Writers Guild of America nomination. This film further solidified his reputation as a skilled adapter of classic literature.

• The Four Feathers (2002): He co-wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of A.E.W. Mason's novel.
• Drive (2011): Amini wrote the screenplay for Nicolas Winding Refn's neo-noir thriller, loosely based on the novel by James Sallis. This film was critically acclaimed, earning him a "Best Adapted Screenplay" award from the Austin Film Critics Association and contributing to its nomination for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

• Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and 47 Ronin (2013): Amini also contributed to the screenplays of these major studio projects.
• Our Kind of Traitor (2016): An adaptation of a John le Carré novel.
• The Snowman (2017): He also wrote the screenplay for this crime thriller.

Beyond film, Amini has also written for television series, including "The Alienist" (2018), for which he wrote three episodes and served as an executive producer, and "McMafia" (2018), which won an International Emmy for Best Drama Series. He also contributed to the screenplay for "Obi-Wan Kenobi" (2022) for Disney+.

Directorial Debut

In 2014, Hossein Amini made his feature directorial debut with The Two Faces of January, an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel. He also wrote the screenplay for the film, which starred Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac.

Upcoming Projects

Amini continues to be active in the industry with several projects in development, including a screenplay for "Clayface." His work continues to be highly sought after for its intelligent writing and compelling narratives.

Hossein Amini's career showcases a consistent ability to craft engaging stories, whether adapting complex literary works or developing original concepts, earning him a distinguished place in contemporary cinema.