He is a Turkish-Italian director, screenwriter and writer. In 1976, he first went to Perugia Foreigners University in Italy, learned Italian for a year, and then transferred to Rome La Sapienza University to study cinema. After completing his education there, he went to Accademia Navona and Accademia d'Arte Dramatica schools to study art history, costume and theater direction and took lessons from Silvio D'Amico. During this period, he worked with Julien Beck in various positions on the European tour of The Living Teather. In 1982, he was assistant director to Massimo Troisi in the film Scusate il Ritardo, and later to Maurizio Ponzi in the film Son Contento. Ferzan Özpetek worked as an assistant director for nearly 15 years with different directors such as Ricky Tognazzi, Lamberto Bava, Francesco Nuti, Sergio Citti, Giovanni Veronesi and Marco Risi. American singer Madonna stated that Ferzan Özpetek was "a genius" in an interview with a television program. Özpetek received congratulations from names such as John Travolta and Andy Garcia after the screening of his 2009 film, Serseri Mayinlar, at the opening of the Los Angeles Film Festival. Ferzan Özpetek served as the jury president of the committee consisting of actors Hülya Kocyigit, Zuhal Olcay, Aytac Arman, Kenan Isik and director Nuri Bilge Ceylan at the 42nd Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival held in 2005. In 2007, he was a jury member at the 75th Venice Film Festival.

Filmography

• 2026For Better And For Worse — Director, Screenplay
• Peccato
• 2024Diamonds — Ferzan, Director, Story, Screenplay
• 2024Istanbul Trilogy: Meze — Director, Writer
• 2024Istanbul Trilogy: Muhabbet — Director, Writer
• 2024Istanbul Trilogy: Music — Director, Writer
• 2023Buon compleanno Massimo — Sé stesso
• 2023Nuovo Olimpo — Director, Writer
• The Ignorant Angels — Director, Writer, Creator
• 2021L'uomo che inventò il futuro — Director
• 2019The Goddess of Fortune — Director, Writer
• 2018Stranger in My Pocket — Producer
• 2017Naples in Veils — Director, Screenplay
• 2017Red Istanbul — Director, Novel, Screenplay, Idea, Story, Writer
• 2014Fasten Your Seatbelts — Director, Screenplay
• 2012A Magnificent Haunting — Director, Screenplay, Story
• 2012Aida — Stage Director
• 2010Loose Cannons — Director, Story, Screenplay
• 2009L'Aquila 2009: Five Directors in the Rubble — Director
• 2008A Perfect Day — Director, Screenplay
• 2007Saturn in Opposition — Director, Writer, Idea, Screenplay, Story
• 2005Sacred Heart — Director, Screenplay, Story
• 2003Facing Windows — Director, Writer
• 2001His Secret Life — Director, Screenplay, Story
• 1999Last Harem — Director, Writer, Idea, Story, Screenplay
• 1997Steam: The Turkish Bath — Director, Writer, Idea, Story, Screenplay
• 1994Anche i commercialisti hanno un'anima — Assistant Director
• 1994OcchioPinocchio — First Assistant Director
• 1994The Pack — First Assistant Director, Casting
• 1991Donne con le gonne — First Assistant Director
• 1991Ultrà — Assistant Director
• 1989Mortacci — First Assistant Director
• 1989The Man Who Didn't Want to Die — Assistant Director
• 1989Willy Signori e vengo da lontano — First Assistant Director
• 1988The Big Fox — First Assistant Director
• 1987Maramao — Assistant Director
• 1987Us Real Men, We Hard Men — First Assistant Director
• 1986The Lieutenant of the Carabinieri — First Assistant Director
• 1983Son contento — Il madonnaro
• Bir İstanbul Üçlemesi: Meze-Müzik-Muhabbet — Director
• Ignorant Angels — Creator
• Untitled Giorgio Armani Series — Director, Writer, Creator

Appearances as themselves (3)

• 2024Musicanti con la pianola — Himself
• 2011Voi siete qui — Self
• 2010Francesco Nuti… e vengo da lontano — Self