Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Nuri Bilge Ceylan, born 26 January 1959, is a well-acclaimed Turkish director, screenwriter, photographer and actor. Having been born in Bakırköy, Istanbul, he spent his childhood in Yenice, Çanakkale. His journey into arts started at Boğaziçi University where he began to receive recognition for his work as a photographer. His photographic work featured in numerous magazines during the 1980s. By 1989, he was winning national competitions, representing Turkey at international events. His intricate journey into filmmaking began after he competed his military service and studied film at Mimar Sinan University. His debut in 1995 with a short film Koza, written, produced, and directed by him, garnered recognition as it was the first Turkish short film screened at the 48th Cannes Film Festival. Over time, his exceptional work like Winter Sleep being recognized and won the Palme d'Or at the 67th Cannes Film Festival, and About Dry Grasses competing for the Palme d'Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival prove his mastery over the craft of filmmaking. Several of his films were also selected as Turkey's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. As a signature style, Ceylan's films are typically characterized by static shots and long takes, often in natural settings, eliciting themes like estrangement, existentialism and the human experience. In addition to film directing, Ceylan is also an accomplished photographer and actor.