Biographie
Born in 1964 in Gaziantep, Turkey, into a working-class family, he emigrated with his family to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1969. Between 1986 and 1990, he studied Economics as a Hans-Böckler Foundation scholar while simultaneously working as a freelance journalist and scriptwriter for various public radio and TV stations, including Westdeutsche Rundfunk (WDR). His meticulous research, sensitivity, and dedication earned him numerous awards and grants for his scripts and features. For example, in 1988, IG Metall, the metalworkers' union, awarded him its Feature Prize for 'Between Bottrop and the Bosporus - Homesickness in Turkish.' In 1990, WDR produced Kadir Sözen's debut screenplay, 'Sehnsucht' ('Yearning'), a film about two Turkish youths returning to Germany after being sent to Turkey by their parents. At that time, he was already writing 'Kalte Nächte' ('Freezing Nights'), a story about a group of street children making a living through music while being exploited by their manager. It took another four years, during which he created several TV features and documentaries, before securing financing for 'Freezing Nights' and beginning work on his first film production. At the Adana Film Festival in October 1995, the film won five out of eight possible awards: Best Movie, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Music, and the Jury's Award for the children's performances. It also received numerous other honors at film festivals in Ankara, Istanbul, Cologne, and elsewhere. In 1996 and 1997, 'Winterblume' ('Winter Blossom'), his second film, was invited to many international festivals, including Berlin, Göteborg, Montréal, and Atlanta, and won several awards in Spain, Turkey, and Portugal.
