Özlem Sarıyıldız is a visual artist, documentary filmmaker, and editor. She pursued Industrial Design (BA), Media, and Cultural Studies (MS) at METU, Turkey, and worked as a research assistant at University McGill in Montréal under the Jeanne Sauvé scholarship. Currently, she is the artistic co-director of Hier&Jetzt:Connections-Berlin Artist Residency Program for artists in exile. Using primarily audio-visual materials, oral-history tools, and focusing on gender, displacement, and the commons, her work uncovers the mechanisms underlying power dynamics and aligns with the determined voices seeking to reshape the course of history.
UTOPICTURES.COM is an archive that covers a selected body of my works.
Awards/Grants/Residencies
2024 Documentary Campus Masterschool
2023 Film/Video Künstlerinnenprogramm, Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa, Germany
2022-2023 Kultur Akademie Tarabya, Germany-Turkey
2022 Pitch_It @ Berlinale, Germany
2022 Neustart Kultur Stipendium (2.Auflage) – Stiftung Kunstfonds, Germany
2021 Weltoffenes-Berlin Fellowship, Die Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa, Germany
2020 Sonderstipendien-Programm der Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa, Germany
2019 Bezirksamt Neukölln von Berlin Production Grant, Germany
2018 Hier&Jetzt: Connections Studio Scholarship, Berlin, Germany
2018 Bezirksamt Neukölln von Berlin Production Grant, Germany
2017 Wapping Project UK Artist Residency, Berlin, Germany
2017 Matra Human Rights Production Grant, The Consulate General of the Kingdom of Netherlandsi Turkey
2016 Best Documentary, Boston Turkish Film Festival, USA
2016 Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Turkey
2016 Open Society Foundation, Turkey
2016 EU Activist Programme - Sivil Düşün, Turkey
2016 Objective Journalism Grant, Turkey
2015 The Histories Hidden in Plain Sight Residency organized by Instituto Svizzero di Roma, Italy
2014 Turkish Ministry of Culture, Turkey
2014 Best Documentary; Ataşehir Environmental Film Festival, Turkey
2012 Honorary Award, Yılmaz Guney Cultural and Arts Festival, Turkey
2012 Special Jury Award, Istanbul International Architecture & Urban Film Festival, Turkey
2012 Mension Award, Ayvalık International Film Festival, Turkey
2012 Honorary Award, Yılmaz Guney Cultural and Arts Festival, Turkey
2012 Best Documentary Award, Mountain Films Festival, Turkey
2012 Turkish Ministry of Culture, Turkey
2008 Best Documentary Award, Falludi Film Festival, Hungary
2007 Light House Artists Residency; Germany, France, Poland, Turkey
2006 Turkish Ministry of Culture, Turkey
2005 Authors’ Assoc. Special Prize, Azerbaijan Int. Audio-Visual Festival, Azerbaijan
2004-2005 La Fondation des Boursiers Sauve, Montreal, Canada
Selected Events Participated
2022
Traumwelt Group Exhibition, LiteHaus Galerie, Berlin (No One Has the Right to Obey)
International Filmmor Women's Film Festival, Turkey (Welcomed to Germany?)
Blind Vision Group Exhibition, Treptow Ateliers, Berlin (No One Has the Right to Obey)
Die Werkschau 3, Galerie Z22, Berlin (SocialDistanceLess)
The New Alphabet School, Haus der Kulturen der Welt - HKW, Berlin (Look, Listen Carefully)
Turkish Film Festival Berlin (Welcomed to Germany?)
HIVE International Short Film Festival, Berlin (Hahaha)
(de)construction screening, KinoclubHelsinki, Finland (No One Has The Right to Obey)
2021
Akis Exhibition, Apartment Project, Berlin
Hey Universum Poster Exhibition, Various Public Spaces, Berlin
Thorn Shelter Exhibition, Tütün Deposu, Istanbul (Look, Listen Carefully; Welcomed to Germany?)
Homografia Festival, Brussels (Your Body Must Be Heard)
International Women Filmmakers Festival, Turkey (There and Back)
International Women Filmmakers Festival, online via East Anglia University, UK (Intersectionality...)
Kindred Chronicles Exhibition, Museum Lichtenberg im Stadthaus, Berlin (de te fabula narratur)
Testimonies Beyond Margins, online via Galerie Nord, Berlin (Welcomed to Germany?)
The Female Side of the Moon Photography Exhibition, Galerie Z22, Berlin (curated the exhibition)
2020
MING Studios, Boise, US, Online Screening (SocialDistanceLess)
Armenia Art Fair (Your Body Must Be Heard)
AARC II Exhbition, Errant Sound Project Space, Berlin (BlackLivesMatter)
20 | 20 - 100 Jahre Berlin Exhibition, Kunsthaus Schoeler, Berlin, Germany (Zahir)
Lange Nacht Der Bilder, BLO Ateliers, Berlin, Germany (Intersectionality or Velhasılıkelam)
SodaFestival, Arrival Room Project Space, Saarbrücker, Germany (SocialDistanceLess)
Aarc#1 – Tortu Exhibition, Errant Sound Project Space, Berlin, Germany (BlackLivesMatter)
Labour Film Festival, Turkey (Welcomed to Germany?)
Film Mor International Women's Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey (Water Salt Flour)
Çukurova Documentary Days, Adana, Turkey (To Correct the World)
2019
Unter Palmen Ein U-Boot Exhibition, Berlin (Kein Mensch hat das Recht zu gehorchen)
Die Erde Vergisst Nicht Multi-Media Installation, Karanfil, Berlin
Taking Patriarchy ApArt, Berlin (Your Body Must Be Heard, Welcomed to Germany?, Intersectionality..)
Twelve Gates Video Art Festival, Philadelphia, US (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Condition Room Exhibition, Apartment Project, Berlin (Intersectionality or Velhasılıkelam)
Festival Les Instants Vidéo, Milan, Italy (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Invideo 2019, Crema, Italy (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Lange Nacht der Bilder, BLO Ateliers, Berlin (Zahir)
Transfeminism: Art, Indentity, Movement Exhibition, Palermo, Italy (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Lange Nacht der Bilder Exhibition, BLO Ateliers, Berlin (Zahir)
Lives in Transit Exhibition, Edinburgh, UK (Zahir)
Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival, Turkey (Welcomed to Germany?)
We, The City Conference, Humboldt University, Berlin (Welcomed to Germany?)
In the Blink of a Bird Exhibition, nGbk, Berlin (Welcomed to Germany?, Istanbul Notes, Damn the Dams)
Ethnographic Film Festival Intimalente, Italy (Welcomed to Germany?)
#disPlaced - #rePlaced 2 Festival, Radial System, Berlin (Welcomed to Germany?, Zahir)
Lange Nacht der Politik, Rathaus Lichtenberg, Berlin (Welcomed to Germany?)
Nomadic Art Ceramic WS Exhibition, Laden Galerie Sphynx, Berlin (The Earth Does Not Forget)
2018
Contemporary Arts Center, Welcome To Turkey Exhibition, Ankara, Turkey
Athens Ethnographic Film Festival, Athens (Istanbul Notes)
Surfaces – Its Liquid International Art and Architecture Festival, Venice (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Lange Nacht der Bilders, BLO Ateliers, Berlin (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Muestra Moviemiento Audiovisual, Jalisco, Mexico (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Situational Dictionary: NOW Exhibition, Apartment Project, Berlin (Welcomed to Germany?, Zahir)
Heimat- von Ent- und Verwurzelten Exhibition, Galerie Z22, Berlin (Your Body Must Be Heard)
Tag der Offenen Tür 2018 in den BLO Ateliers, Berlin (Your Body Must Be Heard)
No (B)Orders Exhibition, Galeri Kunstpunkt Berlin, (Damn the Dams)
Ecozine Film Festival, Italy (Damn the Dams)
Labour Film Festival, Turkey (Istanbul Notes)
Embrace Our Rivers, India (Damn the Dams)
2017
'Letters From Istanbul' Exhibition and Symposium, PiArtworks, London, UK (WelcomeToTurkey)
Contested Borderscapes Conference Exhibition, Greece (WelcomeToTurkey)
Etnomusical Film Festival, Italy (Istanbul Notes)
Durban International Film Festival, South Africa (Istanbul Notes)
Speiskino Moabit Film Screenings, Berlin (1+1=1)
People Matter Not The Land; Bilgi University, Turkey (WelcomeToTurkey)
CinePobre Internationa Film Festival, Mexico (Istanbul Notes)
Boston Turkish Film Festival, USA (Istanbul Notes)
Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain Film Festival, UK (Istanbul Notes)
International FilmMor Women's Film Festival On Wheels, Turkey (Istanbul Notes)
Best Documentary Nominee of the Association of Film Critics, Turkey (Istanbul Notes)
TED University Gathering, Turkey (WelcomeToTurkey)
2016
Berlinale Market, Turkey Stand, Germany (Istanbul Notes)
Seattle Turkish Film Festival, USA (Istanbul Notes)
Boston Turkish Film Festival, USA (Istanbul Notes)
Best Documentary Nominee, On The Road Film Festival, Italy (Istanbul Notes)
Apricot Tree International Ethno Film Festival, Armenia (Istanbul Notes)
Best Documentary Nominee, Burgas International Film Festival, Bulgaria (Istanbul Notes)
Best Documentary Nominee, Balkan Food Film festival, Albenia (Istanbul Notes)
Best Music Doc Nominee, Pärnu Int. Documentary and Anthropology F.F, Estonia (Istanbul Notes)
Crossing Borders Conference, Exhibition, Greece (WelcomeToTurkey)
Documentarist Documentary Days, Turkey (Istanbul Notes)
Bilgi University WelcomeToTurkey Event, Turkey (WelcomeToTurkey)
Jaipur International Film Festival, India (Istanbul Notes)
Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival, Turkey (Istanbul Notes, WelcomeToTurkey)
The Future of the Refugees in Turkey Panel, Sabancı University (WelcomeToTurkey)
Saturdox, Turkey (WelcomeToTurkey)
Migration and Women Panel, Gedik University, Turkey (WelcomeToTurkey)
2015
The Histories Hidden in Plain Sight, Italy ("Mediterranean... Of course Italian..." installation)
2014
The city - A Screen Project, Bulgaria (In-Between)
Human Rights Week Film Screenings, Turkey (Damn The Dams)
Istanbul Design Biennial, Turkey (Crafted in Istanbul)
Ataşehir Environmental Short Film Festival, Turkey (There and Back)
Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival, Turkey (There and Back)
Cinema-Dance Ankara, Turkey (In-Between)
Galeria Miejska BWA, Poland (In-Between, A Piece of Monolog: Time)
International Filmmor Women's Film Festival On wheels, Turkey (There and Back)
Which Human Rights Film Festival, Turkey (There and Back)
2013
Boston Turkish Film Festival, USA (There and Back)
Architecture and Urban Film Festival, Turkey (There and Back)
Best Documentary Nominee, International Golden Safran Film Festival, Turkey (There and Back)
FilmAmed International Documentary Film Festival, Turkey (There and Back)
It's Open Documentary Marathon, Turkey (There and Back)
The Chamber of Architectures Best Documentaries Selection, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Tayfa Film Days, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Environmental Film Festival, France (Damn the Dams)
2012
Human Rights Documentary Days, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Datçabetçe Screenings, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Ulus Baker Meeting, Turkey (Water Salt Flour)
Tüpisch Türkish, Germany (Damn the Dams)
Best Documentary Nominee, Tehran Cinema Verite Film Festival, Iran (Damn the Dams)
Ece Ayhan Meeting, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Architecture and Urban Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Hasankeyf Film Days, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
International 1001 Documentary Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Karaburun Science Congress, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Zanzibar Interanational Film Festival, Tanzania (Damn the Dams)
Ayvalık International Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Shorts for Climate, Turkey, (Damn the Dams)
Sinemardin International Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Documentarist Documentary Days, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Dersim International Human Rights Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Flying Broom International Women Film Festival, Turkey (Water Salt Flour)
Filmamed Documentary Film festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Ege Documentary Days, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Labour Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Gola Nature Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
International İzmir Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Yılmaz Güney Culture and Arts Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Yılmaz Güney Culture and Arts Festival, Turkey (Water Salt Flour)
International FilmMor Women's Film Festival On Wheels, Turkey (Water Salt Flour)
Istanbul International Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Ankara International Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
TRT Documentary Awards, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Mountain Films Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
Ayvalık International Film Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
!f Istanbul AFM International Independent Films Festival, Turkey (Damn the Dams)
2011
Which Human Rights Film Festival, Turkey (Water Salt Flour)
International Antalya Architecture Biennial, Turkey (Waeving Dream)
2010
Hrant Dink Foundation 2010 Selection (SSS: F)
2008
Festival On Wheels, Turkey (A Piece of Monolog: Time)
Ankara International Film Festival, Turkey (A Piece of Monolog: Time)
Video Vortex, Turkey (A Piece of Monolog: Time)
2007
Sadho Poetry Film Festival, India (A Piece of Monolog: Time)
NihAnkara - Netherlands Institute for Higher Education in Ankara – DVD selection (Muted)
NihAnkara - DVD selection (A Piece of Monolog: Time)
Light House Exhibition, Turkey (Rails Passing Through Inside)
2006
KIN International Women's Film Festival, Armenia (A Waxed Movie)
2005
Azerbaijan Audio-Visual Festival, Azerbaijan (Some About My Mother)
Faludi Film Festival, Hungary (Some About My Mother)
Roma Independent Film Festival, Italy (Some About My Mother)
Aye Aye Film Festival, France (Some About My Mother)
University of Karlsruhe, Germany (1+1=1)
Azerbaijan Audio-Visual Festival (1+1=1)
International Film Festival Signes de Nuit, France (SSS: F)
Izmir International Film Festival, Turkey, (SSS: F)
Message to Man International Film Festival, Russia (SSS: F)
Steps International Rights Film Festival, Ukraine (SSS: F)