Rıza Sönmez

Rıza Sönmez was born on November 26, 1968, in Istanbul, Turkey (with some references listing Elazığ). He initially studied Business Management at Dokuz Eylül University and checked into the Istanbul University Vocational School of Justice. However, his deep-rooted passion for the arts prompted a career shift, leading him to receive professional acting training at the Müjdat Gezen Arts Center and Actor Studio, followed by a master's degree from the Department of Cinema and Television at Marmara University. The actor's rich filmography features dozens of highly successful and critically acclaimed characters across cinema, television, and indie productions since 1993. He achieved early television prominence with his standout performances in the hit series "Süper Baba" (1993) and "Çılgın Bediş" (1996). On the silver screen, he starred in legendary Turkish cinematic masterpieces including "The Bandit" (Eşkıya, 1996), "Innocence" (Masumiyet, 1997), "Elephants and Grass" (2000), and "The Breath" (Nefes, 2009). A major career milestone came when he stepped into the director's chair for his acclaimed feature film "Don't Tell Orhan Pamuk That His Novel Snow Is in the Film I Made About Kars" (2016), which screened at the Istanbul Film Festival and earned him a Golden Orange Award nomination for Best Director. Beyond his screen career, Sönmez is highly involved in public initiatives within the film community, constantly promoting independent cinema and regional cultural preservation. He regularly participates as a speaker at alternative art events, including the Accessible Film Festival. His personal interests and hobbies include studying world literature, researching the regional history of Kars, and culinary arts, being widely recognized for his deep knowledge of traditional gastronomic cultures. Rıza Sönmez is single and currently channels his energy into writing screenplays, teaching acting workshops, and expanding his artistic portfolio while residing in Istanbul.