Tell us a bit about yourself - all the basics!

I was born in Ankara, Turkey. As a child, I was always drawn to reading — constantly searching for something new to discover, often spending hours in libraries in every city I visited. I’ve always been a very organized person when it comes to my time; I started keeping to-do lists and calendars when I was 17. I studied literature, teaching, and later cinema and art at different universities. My interests have always revolved around writing, creating, and combining different media. Early in my career, I worked for film magazines and wrote for various media outlets. After studying Media Art in Germany, I returned to Turkey and realized that many of my filmmaker friends were struggling to communicate and present their projects effectively. That’s when I stepped into producing — a role that perfectly combines creativity and planning. Since then, I’ve been producing films and collaborating with other artists and filmmakers while also curating film programs and talks.

How did you become interested in film?

I’ve always been fascinated by audiovisual storytelling. As a child, I constantly read about films, plays, and music — I was drawn to how images and sound could express emotions beyond words. When I entered Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, everything started to take shape. Although I studied literature and teaching, I focused my attention on cinema. That environment encouraged me to follow my creative instincts and provided the opportunities and network that shaped my path toward filmmaking and visual arts.

How did you arrive at the subject of your Close Up project?

My longtime friend İlham Bakır invited me to join his project Mom, Do Not Trespass as a producer. I was deeply moved by the story — the resilience of an elderly woman whose only goal was to help her son in the mountains resonated with me on many levels. Through Close Up, we were able to strengthen the project’s foundation and our collaboration. Although we had to set it aside temporarily, the experience was invaluable. Close Up not only helped us refine the project but also profoundly shaped me as a producer, teaching me new ways to develop and nurture a film from within.

If you weren’t a filmmaker, what might you be? What did you want to do or be growing up?

As a child, I wanted to try everything — I dreamed of being a teacher, an athlete, a singer, even a lawyer. I was curious about all kinds of paths. But no matter what I chose, I think I would have ended up in the field of culture and arts. Producing allows me to bring many of my interests together — it’s a role that combines creativity, organization, and collaboration, and I love being part of every step of the process.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Learn to read the red flags better when choosing who to work with — that would probably be my first and only piece of advice. Beyond that, I still tell myself that I’m not anyone’s secretary or therapist. I tell myself, don’t overthink and don’t overexplain. Less is more when talking about a project; if you can’t describe your film clearly and simply, it probably isn’t ready yet.

Other than documentaries of course, what’s your favorite film genre and why?

Even though non-fiction is my true passion, I’m especially drawn to hybrid films that combine elements of art, literature, and cinema. I love works that blur the boundaries between fiction and reality — films where imagination and truth coexist, and where spontaneity meets structure. Those are the kinds of stories that stay with me the longest.

What has influenced your work as a filmmaker the most?

I’ve been very lucky to have many mentors throughout my life, most of them women. Nurşen Bakır, my professor at Bilgi University and still a close mentor today, has greatly influenced the way I think and work as a diverse filmmaker. Artist Nancy Atakan has also been a major inspiration — and I was fortunate enough to make a film about her. My professor Keiko Sei at Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design encouraged me to think more contemporarily and to read the zeitgeist. Beyond that, watching countless films and attending festivals, exhibitions, and talks — creating as many encounters as possible with artists and filmmakers — has shaped how I see and experience cinema.

If you could have coffee with any filmmaker, living or dead, who would it be and why?

I would definitely have loved to meet Chantal Akerman. Her untimely death felt like a great loss — her films have always inspired me with their honesty, rhythm, and sense of space. From contemporary cinema, I would love to meet Apichatpong Weerasethakul. His poetic approach to storytelling, his relationship with nature and memory, and his sensitivity toward the unseen deeply resonate with me — and I hope I’ll have the chance to meet him in the next few years.

Is there an anecdote about your project you’d like to share?

I collect many memories while making each film. From the project I brought to Close Up, Mom, Do Not Trespass, I learned how some protagonists simply are — effortlessly themselves — and how that authenticity radiates through the screen. It reminded me that sometimes the filmmaker’s role is just to witness and let life unfold.

What accomplishment thus far are you most proud of?