Kemal Yildirim

Kemal Yildirim is a British independent filmmaker born in 1977. His passion and drive has always centred around the art of movie-making and has been influenced and inspired by the greatest filmmakers from as young as seven years old. The film era he is most inspired by is 1970’s cinema which is reflected in his own style of directing. Kemal have been movie-making since the age of fifteen with his 8mm camera and advanced to 16mm and now the natural progression to HD.

Kemal is involved on many productions in various roles, however his specialism lies in Directing, Director of Photography and Editing. Kemal produced and directed his first feature film “Shades of a Killer” in 1999 whilst studying at Northampton College. Pursuing both career and education Kemal then attained his Film-Making diploma at the New York Film Academy, London in 2004. Since then Kemal produced and directed feature film “The Bloodwolf Legacy” in 2004/5, which spawned a short film redux entitled “The Last Hit”. Then in 2007 Kemal was involved in 17 films some of which have gone on to win international awards and embarked on his first feature collaboration “Exploitation” with fellow filmmaker Jason Impey. A double feature playing back to back Kemal’s Italian Giallo style “Penance” with Jason’s revenge movie “Tortured”. The Collaborators also co-produced/directed “End Transmission”, a horror mini TV series exclusively broadcast on GoreZone TV.

Kemal Yildirim’s film ‘Less is More‘ was awarded a Top Ten Film in Zone Horror’s Short Film Competition ‘The Cut’ in 2008, selected as ZoneHorror CUT! film of the day on 14th Jan’09 and officially selected and screened at the UK Cypriot Film Festival 2009. Kemal produced and directed horror short “Wolf Cry” and experimental art film “fLicker” making the official selection at The End of The Pier International Film Festival in April 2009, “fLicker” then went on to receive Best Experimental Short Film, and continues to polarise views as highlighted at The Gate Films screening Eat My Shorts.

Kemal begins 2010 by completing ‘Tales of the Dead’ set for release with Chemical Burn, where a group of friends share their tales of horror on Halloween… Little do the friends know that the horror has just begun. Containing some of Kemal’s short films including ‘Less is More’, ‘Wolf Cry’, ‘Penance’ and ‘Missing’.  Kemal is very excited about the anthology because his short films get the audience they deserve and others get to enjoy them too.

Currently completed and on tour is Kemal Yildirim’s “Secrets”, a realist feature length drama film on friendship; stemmed from innocence, enthralled by hidden angst and destroyed by love. Shot in the vein of Mike Leigh in 7 shooting days with an improvised script this film is a strong collaborative effort between Director and cast to develop the characters and plot to produce such realism. The film has already undergone its Cannes 2010 tour and duped to be the new original quirky indie movie from Director Kemal Yildirim. ’Secrets’ is now expected to screen across the UK alongside the usual film festivals.

Also new for 2010 is Kemal acting in the leading role of ‘Dillon’ in Jason Impey’s “The Turning”. The new zombie/action feature film has just wrapped after 11 shooting days and is in post production set for screenings later this year. The film co-produced by Kemal Yildirim also features Horror icon Eileen Daly. The Turning, where “Desire leads to murder, murder leads to passion and passion leads to The Turning”.

In development is Kemal Yildirim’s “Rose” with award winning writer Stephen Loveless to go into pre-production very soon.  The feature film stems from Kemal’s original short film based on a true story filmed in two days, a social drama following the life of a single mother; a drug addicted prostitute. Kemal sparked media attention and interest from top Producers in the industry following screenings at Cannes and Manchester courtesy of Lead Actor in the short film and Bafta Award Winner Jack Marsden, and a charity screening in Northampton. The film received a special mention at Cannes and was commended by charity CAN.

Kemal is also touring the nation with Bubblee TV directing exclusive celebrity interviews in the urban scene and attached as Director of Photography to feature film ‘Revenge’ a Scot Films production to be directed by Bill Little.

As well as a career in independent film Kemal enjoys his role as a Film-Making and Director Mentor in youth engagement projects. Instilling a sense of achievement and providing opportunities to youth that have limited access to this type of art.