Born in Egypt, this individual's life took a distinct turn due to his Armenian parents, who were both accomplished painters. Growing up in Western Canada, he initially had aspirations to become a playwright, but a brief foray into filmmaking soon captivated him, and he became enamored with the art of storytelling through visual mediums.
Years later, he returned to his ethnic "homeland" of Armenia to film the project "Calendar" in 1993. Prior to this, he had already garnered attention at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival for his earlier work. However, it was his 1994 film "Exotica" that marked a significant breakthrough, both critically and commercially.
The subsequent release of "The Sweet Hereafter" in 1997 earned him two Academy Award nominations, further solidifying his reputation as a talented filmmaker. Fast forward to 2009, and his film "Chloe" became his most lucrative project to date, with its subsequent DVD and Blu-ray release cementing its status as his highest-grossing film.