Okan Canbolat

Filmmaker | Director | Actor | Writer | Producer | Musician

Image credit: Okan Canbolat

Biography

Okan Canbolat is a Turkish-Australian filmmaker, director, actor, writer and producer based in Melbourne, Australia. Born in Adana, Turkey, he is best known as the writer, director, producer and lead actor of the independent feature film Revenge: Australia (İntikam: Avustralya).

Canbolat began his creative career across modelling, music and acting before moving into filmmaking and directing. His career in Australia has been documented by SBS Turkish, while his film work is documented across platforms including IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and MUBI.

Early Career and Move to Australia

Canbolat developed a creative career spanning modelling, music and acting before establishing himself as a filmmaker.

In 2018, SBS Turkish interviewed Canbolat about his career and life in Melbourne, describing him at the time as a Turkish model and actor who had moved to Melbourne three years earlier.

The interview provides an early independent record of Canbolat's professional creative activity in Australia, several years before the release of his first feature film.

Canbolat subsequently expanded his work behind the camera, including directing music videos connected with the Turkish entertainment industry while continuing to live and work from Australia.

Revenge: Australia

Canbolat is best known for writing and directing Revenge: Australia, also known as İntikam: Avustralya.

The independent action-drama tells a story of betrayal and revenge spanning Australia and Turkey. Canbolat served as director, producer and screenwriter, as well as appearing in the leading role.

His credits are documented by Rotten Tomatoes, which lists Canbolat as the film's director, producer and screenwriter, and by IMDb, where his work on the production is also recorded.

The film is additionally catalogued internationally by MUBI.

The production features a cast including Wilma Elles, Tanfer Yaşar German, Esra Sönmezer, Necdet Kökeş and Anna Hera, alongside Canbolat.

From Turkey to Australia

The relationship between Canbolat's Turkish background and his life in Australia has become a recurring element of his creative work.

In April 2024, SBS Turkish interviewed Canbolat about Revenge: Australia and his filmmaking career.

The interview explored his progression from modelling into music and acting before moving behind the camera, as well as the development of Revenge: Australia.

Canbolat has continued to maintain creative links between Australia and Turkey, developing projects connected with both countries while being based in Melbourne.

Music and Other Creative Work

Canbolat's creative career extends beyond filmmaking.

Music formed part of his professional development before his move into feature-film production, alongside modelling and acting. He has also worked on music-video projects and other visual content.

This multidisciplinary background has informed his development as an independent filmmaker, combining experience both in front of and behind the camera.

Canbolat also identifies visual art as part of his wider creative practice, although filmmaking currently represents the most extensively documented area of his public career.

Documentary Work

Canbolat has subsequently expanded his work beyond fictional filmmaking into documentary production.

In 2025, Turkish media reported that he was directing a documentary about veteran journalist Yunus Karakaya.

Coverage by Kilit TV reported that the project was being developed through Okan Canbolat Film Production and was in post-production at the time.

The project represents a further development in Canbolat's filmmaking, moving from fictional action-drama into documentary and biographical storytelling.

Creative Approach

Canbolat's career has developed across multiple areas of the creative industries, progressing from modelling and performance into music, acting, directing, writing and film production.

A recurring characteristic of his work is the connection between Turkey and Australia, reflecting both his Turkish origins and his professional and personal life in Melbourne.

Revenge: Australia is the clearest example of this cross-cultural approach, bringing together Australian and Turkish locations, performers and storytelling within an independently produced feature film.

His subsequent documentary and production work suggests an expanding focus on directing and filmmaking while retaining connections with his earlier work across performance, music and visual media.

External Sources & Verified Profiles

Canbolat's film career and professional activity can be corroborated through independent editorial coverage and established film-industry platforms.

Profile Details

Name: Okan Canbolat
Profession: Filmmaker, director, actor, writer, producer and musician
Born: Adana, Turkey
Based: Melbourne, Australia
Known for: Revenge: Australia (İntikam: Avustralya)
Creative disciplines: Film, directing, acting, screenwriting, production, music and visual arts
Associated production: Okan Canbolat Film Production Australia
Notable work: Revenge: Australia