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Turkey Nuri Bilge Ceylan is an internationally acclaimed Turkish filmmaker known for his introspective and visually distinctive films, earning numerous awards including the prestigious Palme d'Or.
Zeyno Film aims to produce and market films of international standards in Turkey and worldwide. The company has produced Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Climates, Three Monkeys, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Winter Sleep, The Wild Pear Tree, and About Dry Grasses, along with other works.
Sideshow and Janus Films have picked up U.S. rights to Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Cannes Film Festival competition entry About Dry Grasses, distributing the film in the United States.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, born on January 26, 1959, in Istanbul, Turkey, is a Turkish film director, screenwriter, producer, and photographer. His career path began with studies in Electrical Engineering at Boğaziçi University, where his involvement in photography and film clubs sparked a keen interest in visual arts and cinema. After completing his degree and military service, Ceylan pursued filmmaking, attending Mimar Sinan University while also working as a professional photographer. His initial venture into film involved acting in a friend’s short film, which led him to direct his debut short, “Koza” (1995). This film marked a significant milestone, becoming the first Turkish short film to be selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
Following “Koza,” Ceylan established his reputation with a “provincial trilogy”: “Kasaba” (1997), “Mayıs Sıkıntısı” (1999), and “Uzak” (2002). These early works saw him taking on multiple roles, including screenwriting, directing, and cinematography, often featuring family members in the cast. “Uzak” brought him international recognition, winning the Grand Prix and Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002. His subsequent films further cemented his status as an auteur. “Iklimler” (2006) earned the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes, and “Uç Maymun” (2008) secured him the Best Director award. “Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da” (2011) won the Grand Prix at Cannes, and “Kis Uykusu” (2014) achieved the Palme d’Or and FIPRESCI prize, making it the first Turkish film to win the Palme d’Or since 1982.
Ceylan continues to receive critical acclaim for his work. His 2023 film “Kuru Otlar Ustüne” (“About Dry Grasses”) was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, where Merve Dizdar won the Best Actress award for her performance. His films are notable for their slow pace, atmospheric visuals, and deep exploration of human emotions and relationships, often characterized by themes of estrangement, existentialism, and the subtleties of the human experience. His background in photography heavily influences his cinematic style, creating a distinct visual language that has garnered him a dedicated international following.
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