
Biography
Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (/ˈmiːloʊʃ/; Czech: [ˈmɪloʃ ˈforman]; February 18, 1932 – April 13, 2018) was a Czech and American film director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the United States in 1968. Forman was an important figure in the Czechoslovak New Wave. Film scholars and Czechoslovak authorities saw his 1967 film The Firemen's Ball as a biting satire on Eastern European Communism. The film was initially shown in theatres in his home country in the more reformist atmosphere of the Prague Spring. However, it was later banned by the Communist government after the invasion by the Warsaw Pact countries in 1968. Forman was subsequently forced to leave Czechoslovakia for the United States, where he continued making films, gaining wider critical and financial success. In 1975, he directed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) starring Jack Nicholson as a patient in a mental institution. The film received widespread acclaim, and was the second in history to win all five major Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor in Leading Role, and Actress in Leading Role. In 1978, he directed the anti-war musical Hair which premiered at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival. In 1981, he directed the turn of the century drama film, Ragtime, which was known for its large ensemble cast. The film went on to receive 8 Academy Award nominations. His next feature was a period biographical film, Amadeus (1984), based on the life of famed classical musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart starring Tom Hulce, and F. Murray Abraham. The film was both a critical and financial success earning 11 nominations with 8 wins including for Best Picture, and another win for Forman as Best Director. In 1996, Forman received another Academy Award nomination for Best Director for The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996). Throughout Forman's career he won 2 Academy Awards, 3 Golden Globe Awards, Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, a British Academy Film Award, a César Award, David di Donatello Award, and the Czech Lion. Description above from the Wikipedia article Miloš Forman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Awards & recognition
- honorary citizen of Prague · 2017
- Directors Guild of America Award · 2012
- European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award · 1997
- Golden Bear · 1997
- Czech Medal of Merit · 1995
Show all 16 awards →
- Academy Award — Best Director · 1985
- Golden Globe Award — Best Director · 1984
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award — Best Director · 1984
- BAFTA Award — Best Direction · 1977
- BAFTA Award — Best Film · 1977
- Academy Award — Best Director · 1976
- David di Donatello — Best Foreign Director · 1976
- César Award — Best Foreign Film
- Academy Award — Best Director · 1997 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Director · 1985 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Director · 1976 · nominated
Filmography22 titles

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Amadeus

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond

Hair

Man on the Moon

Visions of Eight

The Firemen's Ball

The People vs. Larry Flynt

Ragtime

Loves of a Blonde

The Statue of Liberty

The Dick Cavett Show

Valmont

Goya's Ghosts

Black Peter

CzechMate: In Search of Jiří Menzel

Beloved

Keeping the Faith

Heartburn

Ceiling

Nomad: The Warrior

New Year's Day