Yesim Ustaoglu

"A director must understand both their own work and the world around them deeply. It’s about being sensitive to the details, to the feelings of the characters, and to the emotional journey of the audience." After studying architecture at Karadeniz Technical University, she moved to Istanbul, where she pursued a master's degree at Yıldız Technical University. She began her career as an architect, later transitioning into journalism and film criticism, which ultimately led her to directing. After creating several award-winning short films in Turkey, she made her feature film debut with The Track which was showcased at numerous international festivals and won the Best Film Award at the Istanbul Film Festival. Her international breakthrough came with Journey to the Sun, which competed at the Berlinale and earned several prestigious awards. Following this success, she founded her own production company, Ustaoğlu Film, through which she produced all of her subsequent films. Over the years, she has solidified her position as one of Turkey’s most influential cinematic figures and has become a trailblazer for female directors.