Ümit Ünal

Writing

Ümit Ünal

Born April 14, 1965 · Izmir, Turkey (age 61)

He was born on April 14, 1965. He graduated from 9 Eylül University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Cinema-TV Department in 1985. The short films he made during the school received various awards. His first script, My Aunt, won the First Prize in the 1986 Milliyet Newspaper Script Competition and was filmed by Halit Refiğ. Eight scenarios were filmed between 1986-93. He wrote and directed his first film 9…

Known For

The ShadowlessThe Shadowless · 2009
The Shadowless
6.52009
MovieDramaMystery
A barber working in Istanbul longs to be ‘both here and far, far away’. One day, he takes the day off and disappears abruptly without warning anyone. He then settles in a far-flung village. Some mysterious events start happening in the village as people disappear one by one.
İstanbul Talesİstanbul Tales · 2005
İstanbul Tales
6.82005
MovieDrama
Five interconnected stories set in modern-day Istanbul based on the fairytales Snow White, Cinderella, Pied Piper, Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood.
AraAra · 2008
Ara
5.82008
MovieDrama
Ara is the story of four people and an empty house. These people are stuck between their past and stormy relationships, between Istanbul and the "homes" they can't get back, between their innermost secrets and the lies they tell, between east and west. They are stuck in the "space between". The whole action takes place in an almost empty flat which is belong to one of the characters. The camera goes out only once. But various other visuals from commercials, TV series' that has been shot in the same flat, sneak into the film. Spanning around 10 years, the story is told between intervals of these visuals. Turkey has been through a huge change in the last 20-30 years. The modest country of the recent past is a faded memory compared to the consumerist life style of modern day. It is the time of ambitious people who can do anything to "live well", to "break through". This is the story of a small group of people who manage to "live well" but can't help getting lost in a spiritual vacuum.
99 · 2002
9
7.62002
MovieMysteryThriller
In a poor neighbourhood of Istanbul, a young homeless girl has been found dead. Six people from the neighbourhood are being interrogated. While the police camera is recording, these six witnesses find themselves caught in manipulation and abuse, forcing them to give away their innermost secrets.
The PomegranateThe Pomegranate · 2011
The Pomegranate
5.82011
MovieDramaThriller
“The Pomegranate” tells the story of a woman; seeking her own justice. “The Pomegranate” questions the justice of four people with different beliefs in a house, in half a day and in their own realms of faith. Asuman is a fortune-teller with uncanny psychic powers who lives in the suburbs of Istanbul but tells fortunes of the rich at their own luxurious places.
BillionaireBillionaire · 1986
Billionaire
7.41986
MovieFamilyDrama
A civil servant in a small town, shunned by his family and his friends due to his lack of ambition, hits the jackpot in the national lottery. Not trusting anybody around him, he gradually starts to lose his mind.
My AuntMy Aunt · 1986
My Aunt
6.81986
MovieDramaThriller
Üftade has long been the object of men’s fury. Her only hope is to marry the young man she is in love with and escape her traumatic life in the home of her abusive stepfather. However, when her lover suddenly leaves her, Üftade's despair increases exponentially, and she begins to lose her mental balance due to the traumas of her childhood. Throughout the years, her suffering is witnessed by her nephew, who feels helpless to do anything about her condition.
The PlayroomThe Playroom · 2024
The Playroom
6.42024
MovieThrillerDrama
Fırat and Filiz are a couple in their 30s. Because their marriage has entered a period of stagnation, they go to a quiet, small hotel near Assos for a holiday. At the hotel, they meet Özkan and Aysun, local villagers who are running the entire hotel and the seaside restaurant. As Fırat and Filiz observe the relationship dynamics between the local couple, they start to mimick them. One day, while on a hike up a deserted hill, supposedly searching for a historical ruin, Filiz mimics Aysun’s way of speaking and seduces Fırat. The balance of power shifts in relationships, and the story moves toward an unexpected result.

Filmography

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AraAra · 2008
Ara
5.82008
MovieDrama
Ara is the story of four people and an empty house. These people are stuck between their past and stormy relationships, between Istanbul and the "homes" they can't get back, between their innermost secrets and the lies they tell, between east and west. They are stuck in the "space between". The whole action takes place in an almost empty flat which is belong to one of the characters. The camera goes out only once. But various other visuals from commercials, TV series' that has been shot in the same flat, sneak into the film. Spanning around 10 years, the story is told between intervals of these visuals. Turkey has been through a huge change in the last 20-30 years. The modest country of the recent past is a faded memory compared to the consumerist life style of modern day. It is the time of ambitious people who can do anything to "live well", to "break through". This is the story of a small group of people who manage to "live well" but can't help getting lost in a spiritual vacuum.

Director