Biography

After making several award-winning shorts in Turkey, Yesim Ustaoğlu made her feature film debut with 1994's 'The Trace' (İz). The film was presented at numerous international festivals, including Moscow and Gotenburg and won the Best Film Award at Istanbul Film Festival. Yesim Ustaoğlu received international recognition for her 1999 film, 'Journey To The Sun' (Güneşe Yolculuk) which competed in Berlinale and received the Blue Angel Award (Best European Film) and the Peace Prize before sweeping the Istanbul Film Festival by winning Best Film, Best Director, the FIPRESCI Prize and the Audience Award. Launching her own production company Ustaoğlu Film in 2003, her third film, 'Waiting for the Clouds' (Bulutları Beklerken) premiered in 2014 Berlinale Panorama and was awarded NHK Sundance - International Film-maker's Award. Ustaoğlu's fourth feature, 'Pandora's Box' (Pandora'nın Kutusu) premiered in Toronto (TIFF) and won Golden Shell for the Best Film and Silver Shell for the Best Actress Award in San Sebastian FF. Her fifth feature 'Somewhere in Between' (Araf, 2012) premiered in Orrizonti section in 69th Venice FF, won Best Film Award in Abu Dhabi FF and Split Mediterranean FF, as well as Best Performance in Moscow, Tokyo and Pune Film Festivals. Her latest film 'Clair Obscur' (Tereddüt).