Dîlan GeZaza

Screenwriter & Director

Biography

Dîlan GeZaza is a German screenwriter and director of Alevi-Kurdish heritage. Born and raised in Germany as the youngest of five children of Kurdish guest workers, she began her creative career as an actress before turning to screenwriting and directing.

She studied Screenwriting at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB) from 2017 to 2023. During her studies, she was awarded a scholarship by the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes).

Since graduating, Dîlan has established herself as a writer for both television and film, working in writers' rooms as well as developing her own original projects.

Her short film "Wallahi", which she wrote and directed, follows the young runner Baran during one final summer evening with his friends before their lives take different paths, as he becomes increasingly trapped in the escalating threat of far-right violence. The film was funded by BKM, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (MBB) and HessenFilm, and begins its international festival run in 2026.

She is currently rewriting the screenplay for her feature directorial debut "Halay", which is in pre-production with development funding from HessenFilm, while also serving as an episode writer in the writers' room for the NDR series "Istanbul Princess", currently in production in Hamburg.

Selected Credits

2026

Istanbul Princess (TV Series)
Broadcaster: NDR
Production: Pyjama Pictures
Role: Episode Writer / Writers' Room
Funding: MOIN Film Fund
Production: Filming began July 2026

Halay (Feature Film)
Role: Writer & Director
Status: Pre-production
Production: Reynard Films
Funding: HessenFilm

Wallahi (Short Film)
Role: Writer & Director
Funding: BKM, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (MBB), HessenFilm
Status: Festival release 2026

2025

Parallel Me (TV Series)
Broadcaster: Paramount+
Production: Gaumont GmbH
Role: Episode Writer / Writers' Room
Release: 2025

2024

Halay (WT) (Feature Film)
Role: Writer

Astray, Astray (WT) (Feature Film)
Role: Writer

Development funding for both projects provided by the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film.

Earlier Work

Sultan City (Series Development) – Disney+ (2021)
Development Writer

IamMeyra (FUNK Snapchat Series) (2019)
Staff Writer

Since 2014
Professional acting work in theatre, film and television.