Selcuk Cara
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Selcuk Cara | |
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| Born | May 29, 1969 |
| Nationality | Turkish-German |
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Selcuk Cara (born 29 May 1969) is a Turkish-German bestselling author, author-filmmaker, opera director, theater director and former opera and concert singer. Cara is internationally known and in demand as an interdisciplinary and intercultural artist who understands how to weave together all the performing arts. His experiences and successes in the areas of film, opera, theater and dance are unique in their combination. Due to his third black belt in an Asian martial art and his runner-up position in the European Championships in expressive dance, he has strong connections to dance and Asian movement culture, which he draws on in his work time and again. Due to Cara's extraordinary success in various disciplines, he was subjected to several independent IQ tests for research purposes, each of which yielded an IQ of over 180. Soon after, publications about his giftedness appeared in the specialist literature, which led to invitations on German talk shows on television and radio.
Life
Working as a filmmaker
On the advice of Werner Schroeter, Selcuk Cara began directing studies in 2009. He initially studied at the Ruhr Academy in Schwerte and then completed a master's degree in scenography and communication with a focus on film at the FH Dortmund from 2012 to 2015. His training was complemented by masterclasses, lectures and seminars with, among others, Christopher Doyle, Vilmos Zsigmond, Gus Van Sant, Mike Figgis, Dennis Hopper and Vittorio Storaro. His second short film, Hymns to the Night, based on the first hymn of the eponymous cycle of poems by Novalis, was entered in nine international film selections. His third short film, Lullaby, was officially selected for the Plus Camerimage and the Delhi International Film Festival. His most successful short film, My Last Concert, won the Panavision Award and the Grand Prize for best cinematography at the 2014 Rhode Island International Film Festival. Same year it was rated "highly valuable" by the German Film and Media Rating Board (FBW). In addition, the film was shown at the 36th Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival in 2015 and won the Alaska International Film Award (AIFA) – Best Family Film 2015, USA as well as the Phoenix Film Festival Award – Best Human Rights 2016, Australia, along with other 140 international awards. Selcuk Cara is a member of the German Federal Association of Film and Television Directors (BVR). In 2016, Cara was a member of the nominating jury for the German Director's Award Metropolis 2016.
Working as an opera director
In collaboration with the Prague State Opera and the Prague National Theatre, Selcuk Cara developed a concept for Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen in the form of a "staged concert with film" for the Austrian heldentenor Andreas Schager. For this, he condensed the Ring tetralogy to 135 minutes. In addition to the dramaturgical concept, he took on the stage direction, stage design and lighting design. He wrote the book, directed and edited the film Fascination Wagner, which was produced especially for this project. The project, supported by the Lower Austrian Cultural Promotion Agency, was performed with the Prague State Opera Orchestra at the Forum Karlin on October 25 and 26, 2018.
In 2019, Selcuk Cara directed the opera Weiße Rose by Udo Zimmermann at the Lübeck University of Music. Also in 2019, he directed a Ring des Nibelungen Project at the International May Festival at the Wiesbaden State Theater.
As part of the bid for the title "European Capital of Culture 2025", the world premiere of Selcuk Cara's musical adaptation of Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with spoken text took place in the building complex of the Nuremberg Congress Hall on the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds on June 28, 2020. In addition to the concept, spoken text and direction, Cara was also responsible for the areas of artistic production management, stage design, lighting design and costume design.
In May 2022, the film and music experiment Faszination Wagner, newly created for the Gewandhaus Orchestra of the Leipzig Opera, was performed at the Wagner 22 summer festival.
Work as a theater director
For the opening of the Brecht Festival 2017 in Augsburg, Selcuk Cara directed Bertolt Brecht's didactic play "The Measure". In addition to directing, he was also responsible for the stage design, costumes and lighting design for this production.
Work as a writer
Selcuk Cara wrote a play under the name Selcuk Zvi Cara with the title Das Bootcamp. He also wrote an article for the volume Ambivalenzerfahrungen, which goes back to a conference on this topic held by the Interdisciplinary Study Society for Practical Psychology, headed by Dieter Korczak. His autobiographical work Türke aber trotzdem intelligent. My Completely Crazy German Life was on the Spiegel bestseller list just two weeks after publication and Amazon bestseler N°1. In January 2017, the book was added to the library of the memorial and educational site "House of the Wannsee Conference" (Joseph Wulf Mediothek).
Work as a singer
Selcuk Cara gained his first experiences in the Hessischer Rundfunk Youth Choir in Frankfurt am Main. He initially studied philosophy at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, including under Jürgen Habermas.
In 1992, he began studying singing with Antonis Papakonstantinou at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main. In 1994, he transferred to the vocal class of Eike Wilm Schulte, who accompanied him until the end of his training and beyond. During his studies, he attended Charles Spencer's song class for two years and in 2006, as part of the 6th International "Neue Stimmen" master class, he took part in master classes with Francisco Araiza, Siegfried Jerusalem, Katia Ricciarelli and Ute Trekel-Burckhardt, among others.
After permanent engagements at the Oldenburg State Theater, the Cologne Opera and the Bonn Opera, Selcuk Cara has been working as a freelance opera and concert singer since 2006. He has performed in Germany and abroad, including at the Berlin Philharmonic, the Komische Oper Berlin, the Cologne Opera, the Cologne Philharmonic, the Bonn Opera, at the Beethovenfest in Bonn, at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, at the Teatro lirico di Cagliari, at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, at the Festspielhaus Bregenz, the Wiener Festwochen and at the Theater an der Wien. As an actor and opera singer, he has worked with the directors Werner Schroeter, Frank Castorf, Katharina Thalbach, Stefan Ruzowitzky, Vincenzo Cerami, Roberto Andò, Michael Hampe and Günter Krämer, as well as with the conductors Markus Stenz, Bertrand de Billy and Eivind Gullberg Jensen. Important roles in his repertoire were: King Marke in Tristan and Isolde, Kaspar in Der Freischütz, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Leporello in Don Giovanni and Sarastro in The Magic Flute.
In the Wagner year 2013, Selcuk Cara sang the role of Hagen from Richard Wagner's Götterdämmerung. It was broadcast on ARD/NDR Kultur.
In 2014, he sang the bass-baritone part in Ode to Joy from the 9th symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven at the Beethovenfest in Bonn. That was his last appearance as an opera and concert singer.
Filmography
Director, screenwriter and editor
- Time and Peace (short film, 2011)
- Hymns to the Night (short film, 2011)
- Lullaby (short film, 2012)
- My Last Concert (short film, 2014)
- Fascination Wagner – Reflections on the Ring of the Nibelung (experimental art film, 2018; State Theatre Prague, National Opera Prague, Opera House Leipzig)
- The Mastersingers of Nuremberg (experimental art film, 2020; Congress Hall, former Nazi Party Rally Grounds Nuremberg as part of the bid for the title "European Capital of Culture 2025")
- Thy Name is Woman - Tristan and Isolde (feature-length film, 2023)
Awards
'Best Film of the Month August, Deutsche Film- und Medienbewertung (FBW), Germany - Rating: especially valuable, German Film and Media Rating (FBW), Germany - WINNER: North American Movie Awards, USA - WINNER: American Movie Awards, USA - WINNER: ‘‘Best Family Film’‘ Alaska International Film Award (AIFA), USA - GRAND PRIZE: ‘‘Best Cinematography’‘ Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF). USA - WINNER: Panavision Award, USA - WINNER: ‘‘Best Human Rights’‘ Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne, Australia - WINNER: ‘‘Best Film’‘ TMFF The Film Festival 2016, UK - WINNER: ‘‘Best Screenwriter’‘ (Selcuk Cara) TMFF The Film Festival 2016, UK - WINNER: ‘‘Best Editor’‘ (Selcuk Cara) TMFF The Film Festival 2016, UK - WINNER: The Red Rock Film Festival Utah, USA - WINNER: ‘‘Best Narrative Film’‘ Creation International Film Festival, Canada - WINNER: Wolves Independant International Film Awards, Lithuania - WINNER: Feel the Reel International Film Festival Glasgow, Scotland - WINNER: ‘‘Best Student Film’‘ (My Last Concert) Bucharest Shortcut Cinefest, Romania - WINNER: ‘‘Best Editor’‘ (Selcuk Cara, My Last Concert) Bucharest Shortcut Cinefest, Romania - WINNER: ‘‘Best Cinematography’‘ (My Last Concert) Bucharest Shortcut Cinefest, Romania - WINNER: HIFF ‘‘Golden Cine Award’‘, USA/Canada - WINNER: ‘‘Best Director’‘ Sose International Film Festival, Yerevan, Armenia - WINNER: ‘‘Audience Award’‘ (Lullaby) Bucharest ShortCut CineFest, Romania - WINNER: ‘‘Best Student Film’‘ ShortPole London International Film Festival, UK - WINNER: ‘‘Best Actress’‘ ShortPole London International Film Festival, UK - WINNER: ‘‘Silver Award – Best Film’‘ ShortPole London International Film Festival, UK - WINNER: ‘‘Best Student Film’‘ London Golden Scout International Film Festival, UK - WINNER: ‘‘Best Film’‘ Largo International Film Award Genf, Switzerland - WINNER: ‘‘Best Editing’‘ (Selcuk Cara) Cinema Worldfest Awards, Canada - WINNER: ‘‘Best Action/Thriller’‘ Cinema Worldfest Awards, Canada
- FINALIST: ‘‘Best Fiction Film’‘ Eindhovens Film Festival 2016, Nederland - FINALIST: ‘‘Best Art Director’‘ (Selcuk Cara) Eindhovens Film Festival 2016, Nederland - FINALIST: ‘‘Best Cinematography’‘ Eindhovens Film Festival 2016, Nederland - FINALIST: ‘‘Best Original Music’‘ Eindhovens Film Festival 2016, Nederland
- SEMI-FINALIST: ‘‘Best Fiction Film’‘ Hollywood Screenings Film Festival 2016, L.A., USA - SEMI-FINALIST: Los Angeles CineFest, USA - SEMI-FINALIST: Chicago International Arthouse Film Fest, USA
- NOMINEE: ‘‘Best Editor’‘ (Selcuk Cara, Lullaby) Bucharest ShortCut CineFest, Romania - NOMINEE: ‘‘Best Screenplay’‘ (Selcuk Cara, Mein letztes Konzert) Bucharest Shortcut Cinefest, Romania - NOMINEE: ‘‘Best Director’‘ (Selcuk Cara, Mein Letztes Konzert) Bucharest Shortcut Cinefest, Romania
- Official Selection: Montreal World Film Festival (best film, best fiction-short, best director), Kanada - Official Selection: Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival (best film, best director), USA - Official Selection: New York City International Film Festival (NYCIFF), USA - Official Selection: UK Film Festival – British film festival London, United Kingdom - Official Selection: Michael Ballhaus Cinematography Award – First Steps Award, Germany - Official Selection: CamerImage 2014 – International Filmfestival of the art of cinematography, Polen - Official Selection: Navi Mumbai (home of bollywood) International Film Festival (NMIFF), India - Official Selection: Lille European Film Festival / Festival du Cinéma européen de Lille, France - Official Selection: Sunscreen Film Festival, USA - Official Selection: Chicago International Arthouse Film Festival, USA - Official Selection: Nicaragua International Film Festival, Nicaragua - Official Selection: Big as Texas Short Film Festival, USA - Official Selection: International Short Film Festival Detmold, Germany - Official Selection: Mosaic World Film Festival (MWFF), USA - Official Selection: Les Petits Claps: Festival de courts-métrages / Das deutsch-französische Festival Metz, France - Official Selection 36. Filmfestival Max-Ophüls-Preis, Germany - Official Selection: Roving Eye International Film Festival, USA - Official Selection: Hermosillo International Film Festival, Mexico - Official Selection: Delhi International Filmfestival, India - Official Selection: CamerImage 2012 – International Filmfestival of the art of cinematography, Polen - Official Selection: Level Ground Filmfestival Pasadena USA - Official Selection: Pride Mostra Filmfestival Cap Verde - Official Selection: Everybody’s perfect 3 Filmfestival Genf, Switzerland - Official Selection: Perlen Filmfestival Hannover, Germany - Official Selection: Outtakes Film Festival, Neuseeland - Official Selection: 7º For Rainbow – Festival de Cinema e Cultura, Brasil - Official Selection: Florence Festival Internazionale Di Cinema LGBT, Italy - Official Selection: El lugar sin limetes, Festival de Cine, Ecuador - Official Selection: Rio Festival Gay de Cinema 2013, Brasil - Official Selection: ‘‘Die SPITZiale’‘, Germany - Official Selection: Florida Tally Shorts Film Festival, USA - Official Selection: 20. Filmfestival Türkei / Germany, Germany - Official Selection: 12. Neiße-Filmfestival, Germany - Official Selection: inHOUSE Film Festival London, United Kingdom - Official Selection: Changing Perspectives Film Festival (Istanbul, Berlin, Copenhagen), Dänemark, Germany, Turkey - Official Selection: Salerno International Film Fest, Italy - Official Selection: Toronto International Independent Film Fest, Canada - Official Selection: Montreal International Woman's Film Fest, Canada - Official Selection: Visionaria International Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection: Red Rock International Film Festival, USA - Official Selection: Blackbird Film Festival,USA - Official Selection: Tracce Cinematografiche Film Fest, Italy - Official Selection: Dortmunder Tresen-Filmfestival, Germany - Official Selection: Human Rights Film Festival of Barcelona / NYC / Paris - Official Selection: Ozark Shorts Film Festival 2016, USA - Official Selection: ‘‘TMFF The Film Festival’‘ 2016, UK - Official Selection: Moving Pictures Festival 2016, Begium - Official Selection: Sose International Film Festival, Armenia - Official Selection: Creation International Film Festival, Canada - Official Selection: Feel the Reel International Film Festival Glasgow, Scotland 2016 - Official Selection: Themodcom London Film Festival, UK - Official Selection: Auckland International Film Festival, NZ - Official Competition Bucharest ShortCut CineFest 2016, Romania - Official Selection: Largo Film Awards, Switzerland - Official Selection: Dhaka International Film Festival, Bangladesh - Official Selection: Eindhovens Film Festival 2016, Nederland - Official Selection: ShortPole London International Film Festival, UK - Official Selection: (’‘My Last Concert’‘) Equality International Film Festival Sacramento Ca., USA - Official Selection: (’‘Hymnen an die Nacht’‘) Equality International Film Festival Sacramento Ca., USA - Official Selection: Cinema Worldfest Awards, Canada - Official Selection: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Film Festival, India
References
External links
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