Ferzan Ozpetek was born in Istanbul on the 3rd of February 1959, he moved to Italy in 1976 to study Film History at University in Rome and subsequently qualified as a film director at the Accademia d'arte drammatica "Silvio d'Amico.

After collaborating with the Living Theater, in 1982 he began his career as an assistant director which led him to work with directors such as Massimo Troisi (Scusate il Ritardo, 1982), Maurizio Ponzi(Qualcosa di biondo,Il tenente dei Carabinieri,Noi uomini duri,Anche i commercialisti hanno un'anima), Lamberto Bava(Il maestro del terrore, 1988),Ricky Tognazzi(Ultrà eLa scorta) andMarco Risi(Il branco, 1994).

Marco Risi produced his first film,Il bagno turco/ "Hamam" (The Turkish Bath) (1997) which was presented in Cannes and became an international success. In 1999 he produced his second film "Harem Suare" about the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

"The Ignorant Fairies" 2001, in which Magrherita Buy and Stefano Accorsi are in love with the same man, in competition at the Berlin Film Festival, a box office hit in Italy and won four Silver Ribbon and three Golden Globe awards, as well as the award for Best Film at the New York Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

In 2003 "La finestra di fronte/Facing Windows" was a huge success(2003) both in Italy and abroad and won a David di DOnatello award and three Italian Golden Globes. He also won three awards at the Karlovi Vary International FIlm FEstival and two awards at the Seattle Film Festival. Saturno contro(2007 was also a big hit and was shown at the Karlovi Vary Festival. WIth Loose Cannons in 2010 he won the TribeccaFilm Festival Awards: Special Jury prize.

He has also recently directed the opera Aida, In 2012, he directed la Traviata, opening of the 2012/2013 opera season at Teatro San Carlo a Napoli.

On 5 novembre 2013 he makes his debut awith his first novel "Rosso Istanbul" an autobiographic story focusing on his relationship with his mother.

In March 2014 his tenth feature hits the screens "Allacciate le cinture./Fasten Your Seat-belts The film starring Kasia Smutniak, Francesco Arca and Filippo Scicchitano. did well at the box office and has been nominated for 11 David di Donatello awards and six Silver Ribbon awards.

Photo Credits : Letizia Giambalvo and Vitaliano Napolitano