Director and stage and film actor, ethnic Crimean Tatar (Qt — qırımtatarlar) Akhtem Seitablaiev was born in Yangiyul town near Tashkent in Uzbekistan; the place where his parents, like other Crimean Tatars, were deported to from their native Crimea in May 1944. His family returned home only in the early 90’s, and later Akhtem was forced to leave his homeland again due to the occupation. Today he is one of the most successful Ukrainian actors and directors, and heads ‘Crimean House’.
