Samir Mehanović

Director/Writer Samir Mehanović, was Born in Tuzla, Bosnia 1969, and he started his career working with actors in JLS Avant-garde Theatre, which he established in 1992 during the war in Bosnia. Based in Scotland since 1995 he continued his theatre work before successfully transferring his communication skills, knowledge and experience to film making.For his latest short film The Way We Played he has won BAFTA and the film was screened over thirty festivals including Cannes, Palm Springs, Edinburgh (EIFF) and Encounters Short Film Festival.

Work Experience

2008 - Directing for BBC 'Artworks'

2007/2008 - Created feature length documentary 'Richard and I'-When Richard invites Samir to perform at the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, he escapes the bomb in Bosnia that kills 71 young people... Fly on the wall documentary: a complex portrait of a complex man, Richard Demarco, through the eyes of his protégé Samir Mehanovic at Edinburgh Festival and Venice Biennale.

2006/2008 - Working on the feature length film project, working title ‘Mirza'

2004/2005 - Created short film ‘The Way We Played’, a story about two boys from different religious background at the beginning of Bosnian war and an event one spring day that changes their lives forever.

2004 - Created short film ‘Game Over’, the story about young boy immersed in the world of computer game and his trip on acid left over by his mother and her lover.

2002/2003 - Wrote a feature length film ‘Dog’s Life’ the story of Bosnian immigrant who comes illegally to the UK.

2001/2002 - Worked on the dramatisation of Dostoyevsky’s ‘Idiot’ for a feature length drama format.

2000/2001 - Directed short film ‘Pigs Flying Pink’ First short film: developing existing script; casting actors; building characters; choosing locations; communicating ideas with creative departments.

1992/2002 - Director/Writer JLS Avant-garde TheatreWorked as director, writer and performer and created many works including: The Prophet 1992; Fly Out of the Cage 1993/1994; Dream of the Little Prince 1994; Pictor and Pictoria and Lora’s Bosnian Diary 1995; Vivus Figurae 1997; Carmina Burana 1998; Performance on the Music by J.S. Bach 2000; The Double 2000; Perpetual Motion I 2001; Perpetual Motion II 2002

Awards

EIFF 2006 - NOMINATION FOR PRIX UIP AND BEST BRITISH SHORT FILM

HOUSTON FILM FESTIVAL SILVER AWARD 2006

BAFTA SCOTLAND 2005 - Best First Time Director

INGLES ALLEN AWARD 2004 - Best MA Film, Edinburgh College of Art

External links

* [http://www.baftascotland.co.uk/ BAFTA Scotland site]

YouTube/Samir Mehanovic/The Way We Played