Atom Egoyan

Did you know?!

1. First role

   Egoyan's first film, Next of Kin, dates from 1984. It had its world premier at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg, where it took a major prize.

2. Big break

   Egoyan's film Exotica (1994) brought him his commercial breakthrough. It earned the Grand Prix from the Belgian Film Critics Association in Brussels, the FIPRESCI Jury Prize at Cannes, and Best Motion Picture at the Canadian Screen Awards.

3. A first

   Egoyan's first adapted work was The Sweet Hereafter, released in 1997. At the 50th Cannes Film Festival it brought him three awards: the Grand Prix, the FIPRESCI Jury Prize and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.

4. A first

   Egoyan's Ararat, released in 2002, brought him much publicity. Following Henri Verneuil's French-language Mayrig from 1991, it became the first major motion picture to address the Armenian genocide directly.

5. A change of course

   In 2004, Egoyan opened a cinema-lounge called Camera Bar in Toronto, on Queen Street West, with 50 seats. The bar closed in 2006.

6. A change of course

   Starting in September 2006, Egoyan spent three years teaching at the University of Toronto, joining the Faculty of Arts and Science as the Dean's Distinguished Visitor in theater, film, music, and visual studies. He later taught at Ryerson University.