Famous Iranian Director and His Wife Found Murdered in Northern Iran

Internationally acclaimed filmmaker and screenwriter Dariush Mehrjui has been found dead in his home in northern Iran. The stabbed bodies of the director and his wife were discovered on Saturday, according to the Iranian Tasnim agency. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy has been launched.

Dariush Mehrjui was born in 1939 in Tehran. In the early 1960s, he studied cinematography and philosophy at the University of California, returning to his homeland in 1965, where he soon presented his debut film, 'Diamond 33'. His second work, the drama 'The Cow', released in 1969, brought him international fame.

Following its screening at the Venice Film Festival in 1971, the phenomenon of Iranian cinema began to gain global attention. Throughout his half-century career, Dariush Mehrjui has directed dozens of films, with his works frequently honored at prestigious film festivals, including Venice, Berlin, and San Sebastián.