Pinar Ogun

Pinar Ogun began her career as an actress in the feature film ‘Borrowed Bride’ directed by Atif Yilmaz, while she was training at Music and Performing Arts Faculty of Bilkent University in Ankara.In 2006, she moved to London to continue her acting training at LAMDA.

During her stay in the UK, she worked with Robert Pacitti the founder of spill festival in his live art piece ‘The Finale’, then portrayed the real life of Yvonne Blanc in Charlotte Delbo’s play 'Who Will Carry The Word’ and played the lead in David Edgar’s 'Pentecost’. She took part in the feature film ‘Closed Circuit’ by John Crowley.

In Turkey, she starred in the real-life story of a famous professor, Turkan Saylan, who cured leprosy in Turkey. She took the stage as the lead role in the musical play Mi Minor which the Turkish authorities claimed was a rehearsal for the Istanbul Gezi Park demonstrations in 2013. The subsequent hate campaign forced her to leave Turkey to start living in Wales.

Since settling in the UK, Pinar has been active as an actress both in Cardiff and London. She took the stage in Crowds and Power at Sherman Theatre directed by Phillip Mackenzie, and in London Arcola Theatre directed by Chris White playing various characters in Scenes from 68 Years, as well as taking part in ‘New Tricks’ on BBC One directed by Brian Grant and in a Mini TV series, 'Partners in Crime’, directed by Ed Hall. A Turkish dentist, Meral Alpay, in first season of Welsh production on S4C named “Un Bore Mercher” directed by Pip Brighton & Andy Newbery speaking in Welsh.

Pinar founded Be Aware Productions in 2015 and with the company she directed her debut short film entitled “Exhibit” which has been selected for Cannes 2016 Short Film Corner, followed by 14 nominations from 14 different festivals from various countries. Be Aware Productions also produced a live performance entitled “Enough is Enough”. This gritty feminist gig-theatre toured across Wales to 21 different venues and as the member of creative team Pinar was also one of the performers.

in the production. Following this intense tour the company launched their second performance Y Brain- Kargalar exploring belonging and displacement half in Turkish half in Welsh with support from Arts Council of Wales. Pinar has been learning Welsh which awarded her to become one of the cast members in Theatre Genedlaethol Cymru’s tour production of Bertolt Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle.