Meet Cem Ertunc | Director & Editor & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cem Ertunc and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cem, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
My team and I predominantly made short films in the past. They were an easy medium to learn and educate ourselves on filmmaking. Mind you, we never received any education before starting, so we needed to keep creating to get better at our jobs. The single biggest decision we ever made was to make our first feature film. We always wanted to push ourselves more and more to get better and the idea of jumping from shorts to features was the biggest push we can ever dream of. It was extremely scary, we had absolutely no idea or plan on how to pull it off but we still went for it. That single decision has changed the course of my life more than anything else. Now, I’m in LA pursing a career in the industry while that film we decided to do is going through festivals around the globe. Let’s just say that it was a good decision.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
There is a great quote from Stanley Kubrick that he gave during an award acceptance speech that goes, “The most difficult and challenging thing about directing a film was getting out of the car”. I can’t tell what sets me apart from others or what makes me special but I can tell, with confidence, that even though it was a great challenge, I always got out of the car and did the work. It was never easy, it is never easy on anybody, but when you have the passion to create something meaningful and profound you will always get out of the car.
I’m very proud of my first feature Tek Yön (One Way). Its success brought joy to everyone who worked on it. As a first feature, it did tremendously well; much more than I would ever imagine. However, now is the time to look for the future and we have great things planned. We are developing a generational drama following a grandson who is secretly making a comic book out of his set-on-his-ways grandpa’s life stories. This film means more to me than anything I ever participated in my life and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
You can’t top Santa Monica Beach when it comes to attractions in LA. It was one of the first places I visited when I first came here and I absolutely love it. I would start my day there and drive up to Malibu. It’s a beautiful drive that showcases the city’s beauty. After we drive back to the city I would take them to the best (yes, the best!) burger joint in town, Jack’s Classic in NoHo. I would end the day on this spot in Lincoln Heights that I shot once which has an amazing view of the whole city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would never be where I am without my long-time filmmaking partner Kenan Berkay Dabakoglu. We started our journey eight years ago together and have been making films ever since. Although both of our lives had very different challenges and constraints we still push to create art that will evoke emotions. Our last film together, Tek Yön (One Way) went on to screen in festivals all over the globe and won all manners of awards. This success was only made possible by his contributions and efforts to push me to be a better director and make the best film we can make. I hope we continue our adventure together and whatever the future holds I will be proud of the work I have done with him.

Website: https://www.cemertunc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cem_ertunc/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cemertunc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cem.ertunc.96

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KirchhoffProductions

Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9485039/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk