Twenty-four individuals were announced tonight as recipients of the MacArthur Foundation's "Genius" Grant, which awards $500,000 over five years. Amongst this year's grantees: filmmaker James Longley (IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS).
Described as a "Filmmaker who explores the historical and cultural dimensions of conflicts in the Middle East through the stories of ordinary families",Longley has spent the last two years in Iran working on his new film. He was nominated for an Oscar for IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS in 2007 and was up for another for his short film SARI'S MOTHER in 2008.
We posted Longley's dispatches from Iran in June during the height of protests and crackdowns surrounding the presidential election there.
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