He began his work in cinema at the age of fifteen. After making two short films, he wrote and directed Blood, his first feature film. Blood became part of the Official Selection Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 where it was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize chosen by International Film Critics. His second feature film, The Bastards, also premiered at Cannes in 2008 in the Official Selection Un Certain Regard. Heli is his third feature length film, and was part of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Competition in 2013, where he received the award for Best Director. The Untamed is his new feature film for 2016.