Fatih Akin

Was born in 1973 in Hamburg and began studying Visual Communications at Hamburg's College of Fine Arts in 1994.

In 1995, he wrote and directed his first short feature, Sensin - You're The One!, which received the Audience Award at the Hamburg International Short Film Festival, followed by Weed (1996).

His first full length feature film, Short Sharp Shock (1998), won the Bronze Leopard at Locarno and the Bavarian Film Award (Best Young Director) in 1998.

His other films include: In July, Wir haben vergessen zurueckzukehren (2001), Solino , the Berlinale Golden Bear-winner and winner of the German and European Film Awards Head-On, Crossing the Bridge - The Sound of Istanbul, The Edge of Heaven and Soul Kitchen. (German Films)