Tayfun Pirselimoğlu; born in Trabzon in 1959, is a director, screenwriter, author and painter. After completing his secondary education at East Technical University, he studied painting and engraving at the Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst in Vienna. Throughout his career, he has produced works in cinema, literature and painting.

Cinema Career

Pirselimoğlu began his cinema career as a screenwriter and directed his first feature film, Dayım, in 1999. His 2002 short film Il Silenzio e d’Oro (Silence Altındır) draws inspiration from the narrative techniques of the silent film era.

His first full-length film, Hiçbiryerde (2002), won the Best Screenplay Award at the Istanbul Film Festival. The films he later directed—Rıza (2007), Pus (2009) and Saç (2010)—are known as a trilogy centered on the themes of conscience and guilt. These films were screened and awarded at prestigious festivals including the Berlin Film Festival’s Forum section, the Locarno Film Festival and the Istanbul Film Festival.

In 2013, Pirselimoğlu won the Best Screenplay Award at the Rome Film Festival for Ben O Değilim. In 2017, he created a dystopian narrative with his film Yol Kenarı. The film Kerr, which he directed in 2021, was shown at international festivals and was selected as Türkiye’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards (Oscars).

Literary Career

In addition to his cinema career, Pirselimoğlu is a prolific writer in the field of literature. He has authored six novels and three short story collections. His 2003 novel Malihulya was translated into Greek and reached international readership.

His novels prominently explore themes such as alienation, identity and ambiguity. His novel Şehrin Kuleleri stands out for its dystopian atmosphere and metaphorical storytelling, while his 2014 novel Kerr served as the inspiration for the film of the same title. Most recently, his 2024 novel Cerrah was awarded the Cevdet Kudret Literature Prize.

Painting and Exhibitions

Trained in painting and engraving, Pirselimoğlu has held numerous exhibitions both in Türkiye and abroad. He played a role in the founding of Akademie Genius and has taught painting and cinema workshops there. In recent years, he has organized exhibitions in Istanbul, İzmir and Vienna.

Awards and Achievements

• 2002 – Istanbul Film Festival, Best Screenplay (Hiçbiryerde)

• 2013 – Rome Film Festival, Best Screenplay (Ben O Değilim)

• 2024 – Cevdet Kudret Literature Prize (Cerrah)

Filmography

• Dayım (1999)

• Il Silenzio e d’Oro (2002)

• Hiçbiryerde (2002)

• Rıza (2007)

• Pus (2009)

• Saç (2010)

• Ben O Değilim (2013)

• Yol Kenarı (2017)

• Kerr (2021)

• İdea (2025)

Works

• Çöl Masalları (1996)

• Kayıp Şahıslar Albümü (2002)

• Malihulya (2003)

• Şehrin Kuleleri (2005)

• Kerr (2014)

• Berber (2016)

• Kadastrocu (2021)

• Cerrah (2024)

Exhibitions

• Strange Zamanlar - İstanbul Concept / April-May 2024

• Kerr - İstanbul Concept / April 2022

• Yabancının Şiiri - Istanbul, İzmir, Vienna / 2019-2021