Yeşim Ustaoğlu

• Name — Yeşim Ustaoğlu • Born — 18 November 1960 • Birthplace — Çaykara, Turkey • Occupation — Film director, screenwriter • Years Active — 1984–present

Ustaoğlu was born in Kars, Sarıkamış and grew up in Trabzon on the Black Sea. After studying architecture at Karadeniz Technical University she moved to Istanbul, attended master's programme in Yıldız Technical University, she worked as an architect, then as a journalist and a film critic. Before she made her feature film debut The Trace (İz) in 1994, she had made several award-winning short films. The Trace was entered into the 19th Moscow International Film Festival. Ustaoğlu received international recognition for her next film, Journey to the Sun (Güneşe Yolculuk), which told a story of a friendship between a Turk and a Kurd. Her fourth film Pandora's Box (Pandora'nın Kutusu) won The Best Film and The Best Actress award in San Sebastian Film Festival and is Ustaoğlu's biggest international success to date.

• Year — English Title — Original Title — Notes • 1984 — To Catch a Moment — Bir Anı Yakalamak — short film • 1989 — Magnafantagna — Magnafantagna — short film • 1990 — Duet — Düet — short film • 1992 — Hotel — Otel — short film • 1994 — The Trace — Iz — feature film debut • 1999 — Journey to the Sun — Güneşe Yolculuk — Won the Blue Angel Award at Berlin • 2003 — Waiting for the Clouds — Bulutları Beklerken • 2004 — Life on Their Shoulders — Sırtlarındaki Hayat — documentary short film • 2008 — Pandora's Box — Pandora'nın Kutusu — Won the Golden Shell Award at San Sebastian International Film Festival • 2012 — Araf - Somewhere in Between — Araf • 2016 — Clair Obscur — Tereddüt — Several awards including best picture at the 53rd Antalya International Film Festival • 2026 — What Remains — Artakalan