{"id":4453,"date":"2021-03-04T10:45:32","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T10:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/arts-news\/?p=4453"},"modified":"2021-06-01T15:45:41","modified_gmt":"2021-06-01T14:45:41","slug":"graduate-profile-filmmaker-ece-ger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/arts-news\/2021\/03\/04\/graduate-profile-filmmaker-ece-ger\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Profile: Ece Ger, MA Film"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this edition of our Paris School of Arts and Culture<\/a> (PSAC) Alumni Spotlight series we connect with Ece Ger,<\/strong>\u00a0a graduate of our Film MA.<\/a>\u00a0The Turkish filmmaker tells us how she ended up studying abroad in Paris and how the experience at PSAC led to the making of her first film, Meeting Jim<\/em><\/a>, a moving documentary on Jim Haynes, an important figure in the Paris cultural and expat community.\u00a0 Jim Haynes sadly passed away at the beginning of 2021 and a tribute screening of the film<\/strong> will be held virtually, via the film\u2019s website<\/a> and on BBC Scotland ,from 5 to 8 March, 2021<\/strong>. Further details on this at the end of Ece\u2019s interview below.<\/p>\n

\"Filmmaker<\/a><\/h3>\n

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I am from Istanbul, Turkey, but was born in Wien, Austria. My initial plan was to apply for the Kent MA programme which takes place in Canterbury for the whole three terms. However, an alumni friend of mine shared his own Paris experience with me and advised me to choose the Paris MA programme to submit. I am so glad that I listened to his advice and had the opportunity to study film in Paris at Reid Hall.<\/span><\/p>\n

What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Diving into the history of French Cinema, having the chance to observe the connections between one of the most cinematic cities in the world and cinema, discovering how they influenced each other\u2026 exploring all these new aspects is what attracted me the most about studying at PSAC.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Burghers of Calais\u201d by Rodin, photo by Tommy O\u2019Donogue<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What were some of the highlights of your experience?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The most important highlight of my experience was the lecture of Frances Guerin called \u201cModernism and Paris\u201d.\u00a0 I remember being so inspired not only by learning about the early history of cinema but also by starting to perceive the cinematographic connections between the past and the present time in the city of Paris.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Kent film students, we had access to the Cin\u00e9math\u00e8que Fran\u00e7aise<\/a>. Going there several times a week to work on my thesis was one of the highlights of my time in Paris. Spending time at the Cin\u00e9math\u00e8que inspired and motivated me to learn more about my research topic, to discover a tiny bit of the film ocean while enjoying the delicious tartines at Les 400 Coups, the restaurant of the Cin\u00e9math\u00e8que.<\/span><\/p>\n

I also remember the day which our art professor took us to the Rodin Museum. That day, my classmate Tommy O\u2019Donogue took a photo of \u201cThe Burghers of Calais\u201d, which won the photography award at the end of the year. While listening to the story of those burghers waiting to be executed, I saw the photograph Tommy took. In the frame, there was only the sculpture and the gaze of one of our classmates. Suddenly, that photograph became a bridge in my mind than connected those hopeless people and our classmate. It was one of those moments to realise how the information was transmitted between generations through any medium of art. The past and the present moment could get really close to each other, even intertwine through one image, through one story or a film. I never forgot that moment of realisation which was a true inspiration for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last but not least, I met Jim Haynes through the guest professor Dina Iordinova who gave a seminar at Reid Hall. Frances Guerin introduced me to her after the seminar and Dina Iordinova introduced me to Jim Haynes, who was going to become the subject of my first feature-length documentary.<\/span><\/p>\n