Danis Tanović was born in Zenica, Bosnia and was raised in Sarajevo.

Danis studied at the University of Sarajevo Music Conservatory where he played the piano. Danis also studied at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo but had to abandon his studies in 1992 due to the Siege of Sarajevo.

Immediately Danis followed the Bosnia and Herzegovina Army with a film crew that followed the army on their missions.

Danis left the film crew almost two years later and resumed his studies in Belgium, graduating in 1997 at the top of his class. He had already made several critically acclaimed documentaries during his studies.

Tanović lives in Sarajevo despite holding Belgian and Bosnian citizenship and works as a professor of Film Direction at the Academy of Performing Arts.