Biography

Ezel Akay was born in 1961. After graduating from Bosphorus University Engineering Faculty, he studied drama in the U.S. at Villanova University.

Before entering the film production industry as the founding partner of IFR, he worked as copywriter, production assistant, director and actor in plays. Since the founding of IFR, he directed more than five hundred commercials. In the year 1996, he produced his first feature "Somersault in a Coffin" with Derviş Zaim to great critical acclaim. The film garnered multiple awards at international festivals. This was followed by other award winning features including "Journey to the Sun" in 1999 and "Boats out of Watermellon Rinds" in 2004. He directed his first film, "Where’s Firuze" in 2003, which was followed by "Killing the Shadow" in 2005.