Derviş Zaim (born Derviş Zaimağaoğlu in 1964) is a
Turkish Cypriot filmmaker and novelist, who has twice won the Golden Orange for Best Director for ''
Elephants and Grass'' (2000) and ''Dot (2008)''; Golden Oranges for Best Film and Best Screenplay for ''
Somersault in a Coffin'' (1996); and the Yunus Nadi literary prize for his
debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...
''Ares in Wonderland'' (1995).
Biography
Derviş Zaim was educated at Famagusta Namık Kemal High School and graduated in Business Administration from
Boğaziçi University in 1988. He attended a course in independent film production in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and made experimental video ''Hang the Camera'' (1991). He subsequently wrote, produced and directed numerous television programs starting with the documentary ''Rock around the Mosque'' (1993). He completed his master's degree in Cultural Studies at the
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded in 1965 as part of ...
in 1994. His first novel, ''Ares in Wonderland'' (1995), won the prestigious Yunus Nadi literary prize in
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
.
''
Somersault in a Coffin'' (1996) was his debut as director and screenwriter, which won awards at film festivals in
Antalya
Antalya is the fifth-most populous city in Turkey and the capital of Antalya Province. Recognized as the "capital of tourism" in Turkey and a pivotal part of the Turkish Riviera, Antalya sits on Anatolia's southwest coast, flanked by the Tau ...
,
Montpellier
Montpellier (; ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of France, department of ...
,
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
,
Thessalonika and
Torino. He followed it with ''
Elephants and Grass'' (2000), which won awards at film festivals in Antalya and Istanbul, and ''
Mud'' (2003), which won the UNESCO Award at the Venice Film Festival.
He co-directed the documentary ''
Parallel Trips'' (2004) with
Panicos Chrysanthou, in which the two directors, from opposite sides of the divided island of Cyprus, recorded the human dramas that unfolded during the war of 1974 and the legacy that remains today. He later produced the Greek Cypriot director's fictional feature debut ''
Akamas'' (2006) about a love affair between a Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot.
He made a trilogy of films, themed around traditional Turkish arts, consisting of ''
Waiting for Heaven'' (2006), which was nominated for the Golden Tulip at the Istanbul International Film Festival, ''Dot'' (2008), which won awards at film festivals in Antalya and Istanbul, and ''
Shadows and Faces'' (2010), which won the Turkish Film Critics Association Award at the
47th International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
He also teaches at
Istanbul Bilgi University
Istanbul Bilgi University () is a private university founded in 1996, located in Eyüpsultan, Istanbul, Turkey. The university has four campuses in Istanbul: SantralIstanbul, Kuştepe, Dolapdere, and Kozyatağı.
History
The university was ...
and
Boğaziçi University.
Filmography
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaim, Dervis
1964 births
Living people
People from Famagusta
Turkish Cypriot expatriates in Turkey
Turkish Cypriot film directors
Turkish Cypriot film producers
Films directed by Derviş Zaim
Best Screenplay Golden Orange Award winners
Best Director Golden Orange Award winners
Alumni of the University of Warwick
Boğaziçi University alumni
Academic staff of Boğaziçi University
Turkish Cypriot expatriates in the United Kingdom