“How much oxygen will there be to reach the top?”
You'd think this would be the kind of question a movie producer would ask, but when you're in the mountains the answer is never so clear.
I have worked for many years in the film industry and in different artistic disciplines, especially photography and sculpture.
Working in and drawing inspiration from different disciplines became the new normal for me, and without realizing it, this approach had become my way of life.
On the last film I worked on, I was responsible as a producer for shooting the behind-the-scenes documentary footage, which allowed me to witness the entire process and journey of the film.
In the snowy plateau of Turkey, we had to endure the effects of climate change to shoot Nuri Bilge Ceylan's film, About Dry Grass. The plateau used to have snow in January, but when we got there in the same month, there was no snow. Nature was changing. Nature was reacting to what was happening – what mankind was doing to nature.
In the end, it snowed and we were able to get the dramatic snowy scenes we wanted, but contrary to the director's wishes, most of the day was sunny, so we had to shoot at sunset and sunrise.
As a crew, we spent many days waiting for the sun to go down.
To complete a work of art, we need to create opportunities, find solutions and be creative, which requires patience, endurance, calm and timing, whereas nature wants us to listen and wait for the right moment.
During that time, I learned many lessons from nature. For example, it was my first time experiencing extreme cold. We endured temperatures from -33 to +55 degrees. By listening to nature, surrendering to its forces and working within its limits, we managed to survive.
No matter how much preparation and planning you do in the pre-production phase, when working in nature, remember that nature always has the final say.
The film is finished, it's out and it's connected with audiences. Following its success at Cannes 2023, I traveled to the North Pole to work on the project. I brought back incredible progress, joys and challenges. Along the way, I've experienced life and death, happiness and sadness, loss and awards.
A few days after my dad finished his chemotherapy, I realized how important it was to be able to breathe easily. Just a few days earlier, he had said, “Well done, daughter. I'm glad you went!”
The endeavor, which was initially filled with anxiety and fear, is finally over.
Before I went to Everest, I was overcome with fear and about to give up, but I remembered what my father said. Everest reminded me of the words he said as he struggled to breathe, and they marked a turning point in my life.
What does “life turning point” mean? How many turning points are there in life?
Who am I and what am I doing in this world? How well do I know my limitations? Would I ever find the answers to these big questions? These thoughts fueled my dream to travel to Everest, and now that I've returned, I can say it changed my life.
“How much oxygen do you need to reach the summit?” is similar to “How much oxygen do you need to stay alive?”
How many reasons can you find that give meaning to your life, that keep you alive and breathing? How long can you persevere in the face of obstacles? And can you continue to believe that one day a solution will be found?
Can these questions be separated from the idea of ​​measuring and evaluating something – knowing its quantity or monetary value? Can everything be known with certainty? Should a journey be fully understood up front, with all its promises revealed? Should we think of it like a purchase with a price tag and ask ourselves, “Is the journey worth this much?”
I had never done any trekking or mountaineering before. I had never been to high altitudes as I had lived at sea level all my life.
But this journey was not just a physical climb, it was also an inner discovery: after losing my father to lung cancer, his breathing difficulties taught me the fragility of breathing, of life, of existence.
I also mentally prepared myself for the physical challenges I might face. Despite all my fears, could this journey help me understand the cycle of life and the resilience of the soul?
So how could I make this journey happen? How could I land in Nepal? Despite all the financial challenges and the many things I felt I needed to prepare for, I gave it my best and believed in it.
As I embarked on this journey, I felt I should share my journey and inspire others.
I dreamed of documenting and sharing the inspiring aspects of this journey, starting with photography, film and sculpture, which are already an integral part of my life.
After months of back and forth and dreaming, it all came true. Finally, I was on the road with the goal of creating photography, sculpture and documentary.
I learned so much from my trip to Nepal, the people I met, and every moment I witnessed, and I felt so blessed to have been able to honor my father's memory with the peace and tranquility I experienced in the Himalayas.
During my 15-day journey to Everest Base Camp, I encountered natural masterpieces everywhere. Just when I began to worry, “How will I hold out?” and “How will I finish this?”, the mountains suddenly parted the clouds and looked down on me.
It was amazing to witness these “gods” I had never seen before appear so large, so close, and so awe-inspiring beside me during a quiet walk.
They stood there silently, as if answering me, while I struggled with my daily doubts and anxieties, trying to control it all as someone from Istanbul, one of the most crowded cities in the world.
They were just there, before and after.
My guide, Lhakpa Sherpa, always reminded me not to worry about how high we were, how long it would take to reach our accommodation, what the weather would be like, etc. He encouraged me to live in the moment, and he was right.
He advised me to focus on my breathing, make sure I don't get thirsty, eat well, and appreciate the incredible beauty of the journey. In the mountains, plans disappear and you embrace each moment as it is.
All the good wishes, prayers and everything I encountered along the way were for the journey itself. The mountains were full of life, secrets and everything I had wondered about.
Although I was traveling solo, I could not have completed this 15-day journey to Everest Base Camp without my guide Lhakpa and my porters.Furthermore, I was lucky to experience the hospitality, generosity and sincerity of Trekkers Paradise, who organized and guided the entire trip.
I witnessed how important dedication and sincerity are to complete the journey safely and healthily. Ghanshyam Sharma of Trekkers Paradise and Sauraj Jhingan, a mountaineer who summited Everest in 2018, shared their experiences with me along the way.
They experienced the 2015 earthquake while at Everest Base Camp.
As a filmmaker, their acting chops and attention to detail played a key role in realizing my dream photography and documentary project.
My trip was sponsored by Turkish Airlines, The North Face, Apple, Canon, Stanley, Oscar International College and Nepal Film Campus. Throughout the trip, I shared many experiences, memories and countless photos and images with my students.
On my way back home after 21 days, I celebrated my birthday on the plane. From the right window, the Himalayas waved goodbye to me. I felt like a new chapter in my life had begun and I knew I would definitely come back.
I made a lot of friends and memories in Nepal.
For now, he is working on a documentary and preparing an exhibition of photography and sculpture entitled “My Soul Beyond the Mountains.”
To Himalaya: I've spent this summer with you all and I'll see you again soon.
