Atom Egoyan

Hollywood may dominate film and television in the United States, but indie film master Atom Egoyan occupies one of the top spots in the rest of the world.

Atom Egoyan was born Atom Yeghoyan in Cairo, Egypt on July 19, 1960 to Armenian parents but was raised in Victoria, British Columbia Canada. Atom's parents were painters. Young Atom wanted to be a playwright. When he was 18 Atom moved across the country to Toronto to attend the University of Toronto where he studied International Relations and Classical Guitar. While studying Atom also began making some short films.

Young Atom discovered that he truly enjoyed making films and telling stories visually. Those early films at the University included "Howard in Particular", "After Grad with Dad", "Peep Show", and "Open House". In 1993 Egoyan ventured to his ancestral home of Armenia for the filming of "Calendar". While he had received numerous awards previously Egoyan's breakout film is considered to be the 1997 film "Hereafter".

Egoyan's professional debut film was "Next of Kin" in 1984. Since then Atom Egoyan has dominated the indie film festivals around the world winning awards at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Moscow International Film Festival; a two time winner of the Manheim International Film Week Gold Ducat Awards; a four time winner at the Cannes Film Festival in France; and a four time winner at the Toronto International Film Festival. Egoyan has also received an Oscar nomination and has won eight Genie (Canada's version of the Oscars) Award wins with 21 nominations. He has also been a past jury member at the Cannes Film Festival and a past jury member at the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado. Egoyan was a past head jury member at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Besides directing film Atom Egoyan has also turned his hand at directing productions for the Canadian Opera Company. Egoyan was knighted by the French with the Chevalier de Arts et Lettres, received the Anahid Literary Award from the Armenian Center at Columbia University, and has been inducted into the Order of Canada.

Atom Egoyan's films are trademarked by his use of television and video monitors in film shots and the repeated use of voice over sequences throughout the film. Egoyan also casts his actress wife Arsinee' Khanjian, with whom he has a son Arshile, in all of his films.

In the age of the big budget Hollywood blockbuster Atom Egoyan has become the master of the indie film world.