While studying at the VGIK, Iosseliani also began work as an assistant director and editor at the
Georgian Film Studio (Gruziafilm). Iosseliani directed his first short film,
Akvarel, in 1958 while a student at the VGIK. He graduated from VGIK in 1961, with a diploma in film direction. After the initial success of
Favorites of the Moon in 1984, the Venice Film Festival became a showcase for many of his subsequent films. In 1989 he again received a Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival for
And Then There Was Light (
Et la Lumière Fut) and in 1992 the Pasinetti Award for Best Direction for
Chasing Butterflies (
La Chasse Aux Papillons). After the dissolution of the Soviet Union he continued to work in France where he made the documentary
Georgia, Alone (
Seule, Géorgie) (1994) which was followed by the sardonic and allegorical
Brigands (
Brigands – Chapitre VII) (1996). In 1986 he was a member of the jury at the
36th Berlin International Film Festival and in 1995 he was a member of the jury at the
19th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1999, he won the
Louis Delluc Prize in France for his film
Farewell, Home Sweet Home. He acted in the film, portraying the optimistic, alcoholic husband and father. In 2011 his film
Chantrapas was selected as the Georgian entry for the
Best Foreign Language Film at the
84th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. In 2011 Otar Iosseliani received a lifetime achievement honor – the at the
Munich International Film Festival. It was given by his former pupil, the Georgian filmmaker
Dito Tsintsadze. In 2023, in a retrospective review of his long career, with his films spanning seven decades, Ronald Bergan of
The Guardian stated: "His self-described 'abstract comedies' are understated and incisive explorations of human absurdity, always faithful to his idiosyncratic vision, and discarding any kind of cohesive narrative." Regarding his unconventional directorial style and character development, Bergan stated: "Iosseliani observed his characters through behaviour rather than dialogue. His use of sound and silence, and his complex movements of people, animals and objects made him the true heir to
Jean Renoir,
Jacques Tati and
Luis Buñuel." ==Death==