Tell us a bit about yourself - all the basics! Where you’re from, where you grew up, interests, hobbies, siblings, causes you’re passionate about, anything else that comes to mind…

I was born in Shirvan, a small industrial city in Azerbaijan. I grew up among Soviet-style apartment blocks, with oil-fueled trains passing by our window, during a time when communism was turning into capitalism. My childhood was mostly spent playing football in the neighborhood until the mothers called us home. I think the first thing I’ve truly been passionate about is passion itself. I really admire people who figure out what they want and dedicate themselves to it. That’s probably why I’m drawn to stories about personal journeys and self-expression. I also enjoy observing everyday people and places—things that seem simple but often have something deeper underneath.

How did you become interested in film?

I’ve been interested in cinema since childhood. My uncle used to run a video cassette rental shop, so that’s how I was able to watch lots of films. But my real journey into filmmaking began during my first year at university, where I was studying political science. At that time, I discovered the new wave of Turkish cinema. Since these films came from a culture close to mine, they made me realize that cinema could also tell stories about our people, our surroundings, and our struggles. Inspired by these films, I started writing my first scripts. The more I wrote, the more I felt that something was missing. That curiosity, to understand what was missing, led me deeper into filmmaking.

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

I guess I would have become a football player or at least, that’s what I wanted to be. I’ve always loved the passion in football. I used to play and train regularly, but one day the stadium where we practiced was demolished to make way for a new complex. It was never rebuilt. Once, Albert Camus said, "What I know most surely in the long run about morality and obligations, I owe to football." I feel the same way.

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

I love hybrid genres. Because I think life itself is a hybrid genre. It can make you laugh while you’re crying; it can be horrifying, mystical, deeply realist, and even musical. I enjoy blending elements from different genres, much like the unpredictability of life itself. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I feel that I’ll always be drawn to exploring different genres. Experimenting with new forms and tones has always excited me.

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

This could change depending on the topics I’m reflecting on or how I’m feeling at the moment. Right now, I’d say Werner Herzog. As I’m currently working on a documentary, I’m rediscovering his films and seeing with fresh eyes the tools he uses and how he approaches his subjects. I feel I understand his perspective in a different way now. I’d love to have a coffee—or maybe a beer—with him and listen to his advice and stories in that distinctive voice of his.