Feo Aladag

Feo Aladag is an Austrian film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor best known for her film When We Leave, which won the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.

Early life and acting

Aladag was born as Feodora Schenk in 1972, she later married a Turkish-German man. She began her film career as an actress, completing her training in London and Vienna from 1990-1995. While studying acting she also completed a masters in Psychology and Journalism, continuing on to receive her Doctorate of Philosophy in 2000.

She acted in numerous film and television productions while attending master-classes and directing seminars at the European Film Academy and the German Film and Television Academy. During this time she also maintained a career as a successful scriptwriter and commercial film director; directing various spots for Amnesty International and writing scripts for the German television series Tatort.

"When We Leave"

Aladag's directorial debut When We Leave had its world premiere at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival in 2010, where it won the Europa Cinema Label Award. It went on to win the World Narrative Feature Competition at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival, as well as the German Film Prize for Best Actress for Sibel Kekilli, and the for Best Film in Bronze.