Orhan Çalışır lives in Germany. After graduating from university, he started a career in journalism and worked for many years as a freelancer for state-owned German radio ARD. In 2001,he began making documentaries. His films include “Akkuyu”, “Turf” “Motherland Soil”, “Zülfü Livanelli – A Voice Between East and West, and “Come on Lucie”. In 2020/21, Çalışır created 11 short portraits of people who came to Germany as part of the first generation of immigrant workers from Turkey.

For Foça Film Days 2021, his film "Aunt Ummu" is selected for screening.