Özgür Uyanık works as a filmmaker and author. He also occasionally reviews books and publishes essays and short stories.
Film
His screenwriting has been long-listed by the BBC Drama Room and he was a PAGE International Screenwriting Awards top-10 finalist in the horror/thriller category, 2018. He was selected for the British Film Institute’s Emerging Filmmakers program during the London Film Festival 2016, supported by Film Cymru Wales as part of NET.WORK@LFF. Selected participant BAFTA Crew 2018-2020. He is a BAFTA Connect and WGGB member.
His feature film projects currently in development include THE UNVEILER and THIS IS NOT A TRUE STORY. His work has been selected by the Binger Writers Lab in Amsterdam (2014-2015 with an International Scholarship from Creative Skillset), Creative Europe MEDIA’s The Film Garage genre film workshops in Torino (2015), Ffilm Cymru Wales Cinematic II scheme (2017) and the BFI Network Wales Horizons Fund (2016-2018).
Awards
WINNER Best Marketing Campaign & Most Creative in Science. Farmaskop Awards, Turkey, 2013. On-line advertising campaign film “I Can’t Breathe!” TOP 10 FINALIST at the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, Los Angeles, with HOLY MEN, 2016. WINNER Best Use of New Media. Communique Awards, UK, 2009. Series of online campaign films for Age Concern, “Hungry to be Heard”, featuring Stephen Mangan. NOMINATED Best UK Feature. 17th Raindance Film Festival, London, 2009. “Resurrecting the Streetwalker” horror feature film. WINNER Best European Short. Brussels International Short Film Festival, 2001. Short film “Oblivious”.
Publishing
Debut novel CONCEPTION published in the UK and North America (Fairlight Books). He was a contributing co-editor for an anthology of creative essays JUST SO YOU KNOW—ESSAYS OF EXPERIENCE from Parthian Books, also out now. You can read his essay and an interview with the editors in the Wales Arts Review.
Interviews with Özgür about his novel and reviews can be found in Wales Arts Review, The Cardiff Review, The Mechanics’ Institute Review and Fairlight Books website.
‘”Conception” is a novel that deserves to be read slowly to fully appreciate the word play and sharp wit of the writing.’ Michelle Deininger, Wales Arts Review
‘Özgür Uyanık’s debut novel sizzles with subversive humour and macabre energy. This book engages all the senses, while alluding to deeper concerns than those it ostensibly addresses.’ Richard Gwyn, poet and novelist.
‘Smart, bold and fresh—these are voices we need to hear.‘ Darren Chetty, writer and contributor, “The Good Immigrant”
Özgür has directed award-winning ad campaigns and short films in the UK and Turkey. He is the writer-director of feature film “Resurrecting the Streetwalker” (nominated Best UK Feature, 17th Raindance International Film Festival) distributed by Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment.
Özgür Uyanık 