Miloš Forman, Director of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' Passes Away at 86

Miloš Forman, a Czech-born filmmaker and two-time Oscar winner, has passed away at the age of 86. The Czech News Agency (CTK) reported, citing Martina, Forman's wife, that he died peacefully in the United States after a brief illness, surrounded by family and loved ones. The renowned Czech filmmaker won Oscars for Best Director for 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' (known in Iran as 'Diwaneh az Qafas Parid') and 'Amadeus.' Forman was born in 1932 in 'Chaslav,' a town near Prague, the capital of former Czechoslovakia. Both of his parents died in Nazi death camps. In the 1960s, he joined the 'New Wave' and collaborated with filmmakers critical of the communist regime in former Czechoslovakia. During this period, he gained fame with works such as 'Black Peter' and 'Loves of a Blonde.' Shortly before the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, Forman emigrated first to France and then to the United States. The Soviet invasion in 1968 marked the end of the period known as the 'Prague Spring.' 'Taking Off' was the first film he made in America in 1971. About four years later, he directed 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' which earned him his first directing Oscar. After years of living in the United States, he returned to his homeland in 1983, where he made 'Amadeus,' a film about Austrian composer Mozart, which received 11 Oscar nominations and ultimately won eight, including Best Director. Other notable works include 'Ragtime,' 'Hair,' and 'Man on the Moon,' which was also nominated for an Oscar. In addition to his two Oscars, Forman received numerous other accolades throughout his three-decade filmmaking career, including a BAFTA award, a Golden Globe, the Berlin Golden Bear, the Cannes Grand Jury Prize, the César Award for Best Foreign Film, and several others.