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Zeki Demirkubuz is a Turkish filmmaker known for his unflinching and uncompromising approach to cinema. His films often delve into the dark recesses of the human psyche, exploring themes of guilt, morality, and the complexities of relationships. Demirkubuz's personal experiences, including a tumultuous youth marked by political activism and imprisonment, have undoubtedly influenced his artistic vision.
After dropping out of high school, Demirkubuz worked in a textile workshop and as a street vendor. Following the 1980 coup d'état in Turkey, he was unjustly imprisoned without trial for three years, enduring torture due to alleged communist activities. Despite this traumatic experience, he persevered, graduating with a degree in Communications Engineering from Istanbul University.
His passion for filmmaking led him to work as an assistant director before founding his own production company, Mavi Film. Demirkubuz's fiercely independent nature is reflected in his work, where he maintains creative control over nearly every aspect of his films. This uncompromising spirit allows him to create a unique cinematic language that often challenges conventional storytelling.
Demirkubuz's filmography is characterized by a bleak realism and a focus on the psychological struggles of his characters. His debut film, "C Blok" (1994), laid the groundwork for his signature style, while "Masumiyet" (1997) and "Üçüncü Sayfa" (1999) garnered international recognition at prestigious film festivals. His "Tales of Darkness" trilogy, consisting of "Yazgi" (2001) and "Itiraf" (2001), Bekleme Odasi (2003) further solidified his reputation as a filmmaker who confronts difficult subjects with unflinching honesty.
His film "Kader" (2006) won the Best Film prize at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, a testament to his ability to create emotionally resonant and thought-provoking works. In more recent years, Demirkubuz continued to explore existential themes in films like "Yeralti" (2012) and "Bulanti" (2015).
Zeki Demirkubuz remains a vital figure in Turkish cinema, a director who fearlessly tackles complex and often disturbing subjects with a distinct artistic vision. His uncompromising approach and willingness to explore the darker aspects of the human condition have earned him both critical acclaim and a dedicated following.- Producer
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Nuri Bilge Ceylan is a Turkish filmmaker whose introspective and visually stunning films have garnered international acclaim. His career trajectory, marked by a shift from engineering to filmmaking, is a testament to his dedication to artistic expression and exploration of the human condition.
Ceylan's early interest in image and visual arts was nurtured during his studies at Bogaziçi University. His involvement in the photography club and exposure to cinema through film classes and screenings at the Film Society ignited his passion for filmmaking. After graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering and completing his military service, Ceylan chose to pursue his cinematic dreams, studying film at Mimar Sinan University while working as a professional photographer.
Ceylan's first foray into filmmaking was as an actor in a short film directed by his friend Mehmet Eryilmaz. He soon transitioned behind the camera, directing his debut short film, "Koza" (1995), which made history as the first Turkish short film selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival. This early success set the stage for his "provincial trilogy": "Kasaba" (1997), "Mayis Sikintisi" (1999), and "Uzak" (2002). In these films, Ceylan took on multiple roles, showcasing his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to craft deeply personal and evocative stories. "Uzak" (2002) won the Grand Prix and Best Actor awards at Cannes, catapulting Ceylan to international recognition.
Ceylan's subsequent films continued to explore the complexities of human relationships and the nuances of emotional landscapes. "Iklimler" (2006) won the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes, while "Uç Maymun" (2008) earned him the Best Director award. His masterpiece "Bir Zamanlar Anadolu'da" (2011) won the Grand Prix at Cannes, solidifying his reputation as a filmmaker of exceptional talent. "Kis Uykusu" (2014), his seventh feature film, garnered the Palme d'Or and the FIPRESCI prize at Cannes, further cementing his position as a leading figure in world cinema.
In recent years, Ceylan has continued to challenge himself with ambitious projects. His 2023 film "Kuru Otlar Ustüne" ("About Dry Grasses") is a visually stunning and emotionally charged drama that explores themes of isolation, disillusionment, and the search for meaning in life. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Actress award for Merve Dizdar.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan's films are characterized by their slow pace, meticulous attention to detail, and exploration of complex emotional states. His visual style, often inspired by his background in photography, creates a sense of atmosphere and mood that draws viewers into the world of his characters. Ceylan's unflinching portrayal of human relationships, combined with his poetic visual language, have earned him a dedicated following and a place among the most respected filmmakers of our time.- Producer
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Semih Kaplanoglu is one of the most acclaimed writer-director-producers of contemporary filmmaking. Born and raised in Izmir, Turkey, he received BS in Cinema-Television from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dokuz Eylul University, in 1984. Kaplanoglu made his debut feature in 2001 'Away From Home', and he was awarded Best Director in Singapore IFF. He then set up his own production company Kaplan Film and started writing and directing as an independent producer, making worldwide acclaimed international co-productions. In 2005, his second feature 'Angel's Fall' had World Premiere in Berlinale Forum and received Best Film Awards in Nantes, Kerala and Barcelona Alternativa FF. His third feature 'Egg', which premiered in 2007 at Cannes FF Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, brought Best Director awards in Fajr IFF, Valdivia IFF and Bangkok World FF. The film received around 30 awards including important national awards such as the Golden Orange (Antalya IFF) and the Golden Tulip award (Istanbul IFF). This film was the first part of the 'Yusuf Trilogy' which made Semih Kaplanoglu worldwide known as a director. In 2008 'Milk' which took part in L'Atelier of the Cinéfondation in 2008, premiered at Venice IFF Official Competition, screened at festivals around the world, earning him international awards, including Fipresci prize at the Istanbul IFF. 'Honey' the third part of the 'Yusuf Trilogy', winner of Golden Bear award in 60th Berlinale IFF, traces the origins of a soul. In 2013 Kaplanoglu was invited to Cannes FF as a member of Cinéfondation & Short Film Jury member. Semih Kaplanoglu's 2017 dated film 'Grain', received Best Film Award in 30th Tokyo Film Festival. This 35 mm Black&White shot film is a co-production of Turkey, Germany, France, Sweden and Qatar, with Jean-Marc Barr, Ermin Bravo, Grigory Dobrygin and Cristina Flutur as cast and English as original language. It took 5 years to complete the film. In 2018, he started working on 'Commitment Trilogy'. 2019 dated 'Commitment Asli' was the Academy Award Nominee of Turkey is the first digital film from the director. In 2020, 'Commitment Hasan' was finished just before the pandemic hit the world causing lock-down. Kaplanoglu is now working on the last part of the trilogy 'Commitment Fikret' which is an adaptation of well known Turkish author Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar's novel 'A Mind At Peace'. As a producer, he contributed his fellow director Aida Begic's 'Djeca' which earned a special mention in 2012 Cannes Un Certain Regard. The film is a Bosnian, German, French and Turkish co-production supported by Sarajevo Cinematograhy Fund, Eurimages, MDM, ZDF /ARTE, TRT, Fonds Sud Cinema and Torino Film Lab. Semih Kaplanoglu, born in 1963, has also written many articles based on plastic arts and cinema which have been translated into foreign languages and published in many magazines and journals between 1987 and 2003.