Nuri Bilge Ceylan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nuri Bilge Ceylan
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Nuri Bilge Ceylan in 2009.
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| Born | 26 January 1959 Istanbul, Turkey
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| Nationality | Turkish |
| Alma mater | Boğaziçi University Mimar Sinan University |
| Occupation | Film director, photographer |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse(s) | Aylin Ünaldı Ceylan Ebru Ceylan |
| Relatives | Mehmet Emin Toprak (cousin) |
| Awards | Full list |
Nuri Bilge Ceylan (born January 26, 1959) is a famous Turkish film director, writer, photographer, and actor. He is known for making movies that tell deep stories. His film Winter Sleep won the top prize, the Palme d'Or, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. Many of his films have also been chosen to represent Turkey at the Academy Awards.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Nuri Bilge Ceylan was born in Istanbul, Turkey, on January 26, 1959. His father was an agricultural engineer. Nuri spent much of his childhood in Yenice, his father's hometown. He finished primary school there before moving to Istanbul for high school.
In 1976, Ceylan started studying chemistry at Istanbul Technical University. He later switched to electrical engineering at Boğaziçi University in 1978. During his time at Boğaziçi University, he became known for his photography. In 1982, a magazine called Milliyet Sanat featured him as a young Turkish photographer.
Throughout the 1980s, his photos appeared in magazines like Gergedan. In 1989, he won a national contest to represent Turkey at an international event. After his military service, Ceylan studied film at Mimar Sinan University.
Film Career Highlights
Early Films: 1993–2006
In 1993, Nuri Bilge Ceylan acted in a short film called Seviyorum Ergo Sum. He also helped with its production. After this, he bought the camera used for the film. He then used it to make his own short film, Koza (which means "cocoon").
Koza was special because it was the first Turkish short film shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 1995. Ceylan directed, wrote, and produced this film himself.
In 1997, Ceylan made his first full-length movie, Kasaba (meaning "The Small Town"). This film was shown at many international festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival. Kasaba is considered the first part of his "provincial trilogy" of films. These films often featured his family members as actors.
His next film, Clouds of May (1999), also competed at the Berlin Film Festival. Then came Distant (2003), which competed for the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Uzak won the Grand Prix, a major award. The actors in Uzak, Muzaffer Özdemir and Mehmet Emin Toprak, won the Best Actor prize together.
Climates (2006) was a new step for Ceylan. It was the first time he didn't work as the cinematographer (the person who films the movie). He also didn't produce this film. Ceylan himself starred in Climates alongside his wife, Ebru Ceylan. The movie first showed at the Cannes Film Festival.
Later Films: 2008–Present
Ceylan's 2008 film, Three Monkeys, was his first time working with professional actors. He won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival for this film. Three Monkeys was also considered for the Best International Feature Film at the 81st Academy Awards.
In 2009, Ceylan was a judge at the Cannes Film Festival. His 2011 film, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. A film critic named Roger Ebert praised Ceylan's directing style. He noted that Ceylan lets viewers experience things with the characters.
His next film, Winter Sleep (2014), won the Palme d'Or at the 67th Cannes Film Festival. This was a huge achievement, as it was the first Turkish film to win this award since 1982. A critic from The Guardian described the film as "chilly but touching." He called it a "huge, sombre and compelling tragicomedy."
Ceylan's film The Wild Pear Tree (2018) was also shown at the Cannes Film Festival. This movie is about a writer who goes back to his hometown after college. He tries to find help to publish his book while dealing with his father's gambling problems. Critics praised it as a "rich, textured film" about what sons learn from their fathers.
Most recently, Ceylan's film About Dry Grasses competed for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. The actress Merve Dizdar won the Best Actress award for her role in the film. The movie is about a young teacher hoping to move to Istanbul after working in a small village.
Film Styles and Themes
Nuri Bilge Ceylan's films often explore themes like feeling alone, thinking about life's big questions, and everyday routines. He often uses still shots and long scenes, usually in natural places. He doesn't often use special sets. Ceylan also uses silence in his films to create a certain feeling.
He often films his main characters from behind. He says this is to make the audience wonder about what the characters are thinking or feeling. His earlier films were made with small budgets. They often featured amateur actors, including his family members and neighbors.
Personal Life
Nuri Bilge Ceylan is married to filmmaker, photographer, and actress Ebru Ceylan. They both starred together in his film Climates. Ceylan's cousin, Mehmet Emin Toprak, appeared in three of his films, including Uzak. Sadly, Mehmet Emin Toprak passed away in a car crash in 2002.
In a 2012 poll by Sight and Sound magazine, Ceylan shared his ten favorite films. These included Andrei Rublev, Au hasard Balthazar, and Tokyo Story.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Original title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
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| 1995 | Cocoon | Koza | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 1997 | The Small Town | Kasaba | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feature debut |
| 1999 | Clouds of May | Mayıs Sıkıntısı | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2002 | Distant | Uzak | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2006 | Climates | İklimler | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also actor |
| 2008 | Three Monkeys | Üç Maymun | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2011 | Once Upon a Time in Anatolia | Bir Zamanlar Anadolu'da | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2014 | Winter Sleep | Kış Uykusu | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2018 | The Wild Pear Tree | Ahlat Ağacı | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2023 | About Dry Grasses | Kuru Otlar Üstüne | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Awards and Recognitions
Nuri Bilge Ceylan has won many important awards for his films:
- FIPRESCI Award: For Kasaba (1997), Clouds of May (2000), Iklimler (2006), and Winter Sleep (2014).
- Golden Orange Award for Best Director: For Clouds of May (1999), Uzak (2002), and Iklimler (2006).
- Golden Orange Award for Best Screenplay: For Uzak (2002).
- Grand Jury Prize / Grand Prix at Cannes Film Festival: For Uzak (2002) and Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011).
- Cannes Film Festival Best Director Award: For Three Monkeys (2008).
- Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Director: For Üç Maymun (2008), Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011), and Winter Sleep (2014).
- Palme d'Or: The highest award at Cannes, for Winter Sleep (2014).
He also received an honorary PhD from Boğaziçi University, where he once studied.
See also
In Spanish: Nuri Bilge Ceylan para niños
