Born in Egypt to Armenian parents, he was raised in Western Canada. Both his parents were painters, and he planned to be a playwright, but after making a short film, he became hooked on telling stories visually. Returned to ethnic "homeland" when he filmed Calendar (1993) in Armenia. Won attention at the Sundance Film Festival for earlier work, then broke through critically and commercially with Exotica (1994). Afterwards, The Sweet Hereafter (1997) led him to receive two Academy Award nominations, and then Chloe (2009) became his biggest moneymaker ever (after the film's DVD/Blu-ray release).

His wife Arsinée Khanjian appears in almost all his movies, except Chloe (2009).Parents Joseph and Shushan(nee Devletian) painted, but also ran a furniture store.Graduated University of Toronto, B.A. International Relations, 1982.Plays classical guitarHe and his actress wife, Arsinée Khanjian , have a son, Arshile.Created an Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor-General Roméo Leblanc. [Ottawa, Sept. 23, 1999]One of his favorite movies is Sergei Parajanov 's Sayat Nova (1968), his best friend Mikhail Vartanov 's most favorite film.Member of jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996Head of jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2003Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995.In December 2010, Atom Egoyan said to The Toronto Star (a newspaper in Canada) that Chloe (2009) had made more money than any of his previous films.