Nurbek Egen was born Osh Oblast, Kirghiz SSR. Having graduated from Physics and Mathematics school, he studied acting at Arts Institute in Bishkek for two years. In 1994 he entered the Faculty of Directing at Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK) and studied under the guidance of Vladimir Khotinenko. He graduated from VGIK in 2000. In 2009-2010 he studied Directing at New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, USA.
While studying at VGIK, Egen made his short films One Day Older (1998) and Closed Space (1999). His short film Sanzhyra has been a part of competition programs of more than 50 international festivals and received the Best Short Foreign Film Award at the Young Artist Awards in Los Angeles, USA.
The Wedding Chest, Egen's feature film about Aydar who came back from Paris to his native ail with his French bride Isabelle, received the Best Foreign Film Award at the Young Artist Awards in Los Angeles, USA, as well as the Audience Award at the Cottbus Film Festival, Germany. FBW (Deutsche Film- und Medienbewertung), a German federal authority for evaluating and rating film and media, rated the film with the certification mark Wertvoll (valuable) for its high artistic quality.
In his works, Nurbek Egen repeatedly turns to his native culture and traditions. Modern social and political life of Kyrgyzstan, as well as its background and cultural past, are reflected in his documentary film The Birth of Manas as a Presentiment.
Egen's social drama The Empty Home (2012) brings up one of the most relevant and sensitive issues - emigration, interpenetration and mutual rejection of different cultures, national identity. The film won the Best Feature Film Award at the 10th Shaken's Stars International Film Festival in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Egen is currently engaged in active filmmaking and TV production.
Awards
1998 - Camerimage International Film Festival in Toruń, Poland - Bronze Tadpole award (One Day Older)
1998 - Fifth St. Anna Festival for Student and Debut Films - Festival First Prize (One Day Older)
1998 - 18th VGIK Festival in Moscow, Russia - Special Kodak Award "For Camera Expressiveness" (One Day Older)
1998 - Message to Man International Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia
1998 - Tous Ecrans International Film Festival in Geneva, Switzerland
2001 - nomination for entry for Best Student film at Student Academy Awards
2001 - VIII St. Anna Festival for Student and Debut Films - Union of Cinematographers of Russia Special prize "For following the humanistic tradition of national cinema" (Sanzhyra)
2001 - Ciné Сinécourt International Film Festival in Aix-en-Provence, France - Jury Special Prize / Prix Ciné Cinécourts (Sanzhyra)
2001 - International Film Festival in Amiens, France (Sanzhyra)
2001 - 51st Berlin International Film Festival, Germany - Kinderfilmfest (Sanzhyra)
2001 - 36th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Czech Republic (Sanzhyra)
2001 - International Festival in Capalbio, Italy - Jury special prize (Sanzhyra)
2002 – Young Artist Awards International Film Festival in Los Angeles, USA – Best Short Foreign Film (Sanzhyra)
2002 - 16th Fribourg International Film Festival, Switzerland (Sanzhyra)
2002 - Edinburgh International Film Festival, UK (Sanzhyra)
2002 - The Montreal World Film Festival, Canada (Sanzhyra)
2002 - Barcelona International Environmental Film Festival (FICMA), Spain - Best Short Film Award (Sanzhyra)
2002 - International Film Festival in Biarritz, France - Second Prize (Sanzhyra)
2002 - International Film Festival in Libya - First Prize for best short film (Sanzhyra)
2002 - Festival for Debut Films Spirit of Fire in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia - Best Shot Film Award (Sanzhyra)
2005 - Nomination for entry for Best Foreign film at the Academy Awards (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - Young Artist Awards International Film Festival in Los Angeles, USA - Outstanding International Drama Award (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - Cottbus Film Festival of Young East European Cinema, Germany - Audience Award, Main Prize nomination (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - 41st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Czech Republic - competition programme (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - Open Film Festival of CIS countries, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia "Kinoshock" in Anapa - Special Jury Diploma, Prize for Best Director Debut (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - 2nd Golden Minbar International Film Festival in Kazan, Russia - Best cinematographer Award, Special prize of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan for Humanism in Cinema Art (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - Zolotoy Vityaz International Film Forum in Serpukhov, Russia - Silver Vityaz Award, Best cinematographer Award, Best Actor Award (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - Amur Autumn Film and Theater Festival in Blagoveshchensk, Russia - Best scriptwriter Award (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - 3rd Eurasia International Film Festival in Almaty, Kazakhstan - Jury Special Award (The Wedding Chest)
2006 - New Cinema Film Festival - Best Directing Award (The Wedding Chest)
