In Pursuit of the True Shaman

Talha is a Turkish filmmaker who has spent the past decade living and working across four Asian countries, developing a deep interest in documentary filmmaking and human stories. After several years working as an assistant director, he hitchhiked through Asia, encountering people and narratives that compelled him to tell their stories. Drawing on these experiences, he focuses on creating films that explore unique and untold aspects of human life. Since 2020, he has served as a board member of the Short Film Directors Association in Turkey. In March 2022, he directed his first short film, 22, which was showcased at numerous national and international festivals. He spent three years on the Mongolian steppes producing a documentary about Mongolian shamans, a project supported by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture. During this time, he met with over 40 shamans, lived among them, and exchanged his skills by teaching their children English while witnessing their spiritual practices and daily lives.