Umut Dag

Umut Dağ was the first student of directing with Kurdish roots to study with Michael Haneke and Peter Patzak at the Vienna Film Academy and made it his mission to give a voice to those who had not been featured in Austrian films until then. His multiple award-winning films PAPA (including the First Steps Award), KUMA (Berlinale Panorama opening) and RISSE IM BETON (also Berlinale Panorama special premiere) were proof of this. With his subsequent TV works, such as the ARD film DAS DEUTSCHE Kind (German Director’s Prize, among others), Umut Dağ continued to consistently pursue his poweful narrative style and does not shy away from confronting the audience with urgent issues such as racism and discrimination.

In addition, his works are profound and emotionally moving character studies, as demonstrated in productions such as LANDKRIMI – Endabrechnung, TATORT – Rebecca and the award-winning series AM ANSCHLAG – DIE MACHT DER KRÄNKUNG, which was highly praised by both press and audience.  Die Welt headlined: “German television hasn’t managed something better than this series for a long time.” Umut Dağ made his international debut in 2019 with two of the first three episodes of the TV series VIENNA BLOOD, which in turn won the Romy International Award 2020. The elaborate historical series DAS HAUS DER TRÄUME will be released in autumn 2022. In it, the story of the first department store in Berlin’s Torstr. 1 in the 1920s is told. Umut Dağ directed 6 of the 12 episodes. Umut Dag lives with his family in Vienna.

AWARDS

MIPTV Cannes “Coup de Coeur” for DAS HAUS DER TRÄUME

Romy Award for ‘Best Directing Television’ for DIE MACHT DER KRÄNKUNG

International Romy Award 2020 for VIENNA BLOOD

Nomination for the Grimme Award 2019 for DAS DEUTSCHE KIND

Metropolis Director Award 2018: “Best TV movie direction” for DAS DEUTSCHE KIND

Romy Award: nom. ‘Best Director TV movie’ for ENDABRECHNUNG

ABU-Prize 2016: won ‘Best TV Drama’ for TATORT “Rebecca”

Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 2014: won ‘Best Feature Film’ for RISSE IM BETON

Diagonale 2013: won ‘Thomas-Pluch-Drehbuchpreis’ for KUMA (shared with writer Petra Ladinigg)

Filmfestival Del Cinema Europeo 2012: won ‘Audience Award’ and ‘Best Feature Film’ for KUMA SKIP

City Tokio Filmfestival 2012: won ‘Best Feature Film’ for KUMA

Pristine Filmfestival 2012: won ‘Best Director’ for KUMA

Won ‘First Steps Award 2011’ for PAPA

Diagonale 2011: won ‘Best Austrian Short’ for PAPA

Winner: Golden UTV Award 2009 and UTV Audience Award 2009 ‘Best Music Video’ for SELAM

Vienna Independent Shortfilm Festival 2008: won ‘Audience Award’ for TODESNACHRICHTEN

Metropolis Director Award 2018: “Best TV movie direction” for “Das deutsche Kind”

KUMA: Berlinale 2012: opening film of the ‘Panorama’ section

KUMA: 21st Philadelphia Film Festival: Honorable Mention for Best Actress – Begüm Akkaya; 20th Hamptons International Film Festival: Golden Starfish Award Narrative Feature; Russian Guild of Film Critics: Bronze Taiga Award for Best Actors Ensemble/Special Diploma