Mitja Okorn

• Name — Mitja Okorn • Born — 26 January 1981 • Birthplace — Kranj, SR Slovenia, Yugoslavia • Occupation — * Film director • screenwriter • Years Active — 2005–present • Works — Letters to Santa (2011) Planet Single (2016) Life in a Year (2020)

He was born on 26 January 1981 in Kranj. He studied at the School of Economics and Business in University of Ljubljana, but dropped out in his junior year.

In the fall of 2007 he was invited by TVN, a Polish commercial television, to direct and co-write the first season of the TV series 39 i pół (2008–09). In 2011 he directed his first international feature film, the romantic comedy Letters to Santa (Listy do M.) distributed by ITI Cinema, a success in Poland with a box office performance of over $12 million. It was the most watched movie in Poland in 2011. With a cinema run of 130 days, it is the second longest screening film in Polish cinema history, second only to Titanic. Broadcasting rights were sold to various TV stations in Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Slovenia. In 2016 he directed his second Polish feature film, the romantic comedy Planet Single (Planeta Singli) distributed by Kino Świat, a commercial success in Poland. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion Award in the main category at 41st Film Festival in Gdynia.

In 2017 he completed his Hollywood debut Life in a Year, an American romantic drama film, starring Jaden Smith, Cara Delevingne and Cuba Gooding Jr., which was produced by Overbrook Entertainment, co-owned by Will Smith and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was released three years later due to some issues between production company and distributor. He became the first ever Slovenian director in Hollywood and one of few Slovenians in the heart of film industry.

Film • Year — Title — Director — Writer — Producer • 2005 — Tu pa tam • 2011 — Letters to Santa • 2016 — Planet Single • 2020 — Tobulas Pasimatymas • All My Friends Are Dead • Life in a Year • 2021 — Girls to Buy • 2024 — Boxer Television • Year — Title — Note • 2008 — 39 and a Half — 18 episodes