Meet Ömer Faruk Erdoğan | The Greatest Film Student & Home Cook

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ömer Faruk Erdoğan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ömer, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Keep asking yourself ‘Why am I here right now?’. As long as you have a valid answer, there’s no giving up. I used to study economics and one day in class I saw someone playing games on their phone. I was furious to see a student not paying attention to a professor but then again I asked myself ‘Why am I here right now? What makes me better than that person?’. That was the day I decided to give up on studying economics. I wasn’t there to listen to my professor to truly learn about economics. I was there because I didn’t have the courage to go to film school.
Ever since I dropped out and pivoted for my career in Film, I have never given up nor I ever will. Because I have a firm belief in every step I take.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I watched a movie one day and it changed my life. It was Luc Besson’s Leon: The Professional and I admit I was too young to watch that film at the time but I was so moved by how much a movie can tell about a character. Ever since then, I have taken great joy in watching different stories, and different characters in movies. This is one of the things I love the most about art. It gets people closer. It gives us a chance to connect with worlds that are not in our reach in our daily lives. This forms my own understanding of film as well. I want to create characters based on my own unique experience and tell their stories to wide audiences and hope in some distant corner of the world, someone would watch it and be like ‘Oh, I know that feeling.’. For instance, my latest short film is about a photographer who takes over his late father’s bakery and now he has to make his father’s signature baklava to keep the family business alive. It’s basically a similar journey to Michael Corleone’s from The Godfather -for as funny as it sounds- but I used to work in a bakery right after I graduated and that is the environment I chose for this story in my own unique way.

I can’t say my journey has been difficult thanks to so many people who made it easy for me. I was lucky enough to win a Fulbright scholarship to come to the US and study filmmaking at SCAD. The thing I’m proud of the most is my dedication to what I do. Ever since I got into film, I never hesitated once about the steps I took, and thanks to that no obstacle can get me on my knees. No matter if I’ll fail on the way, I will keep trying and trying as Samual Beckett says: ‘Try again. Fail again. Fail better.’.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First of all, I would introduce them to my great friends Mallika, Nick, Selbi, and others. They’re the best I can offer out here. I would love to take them out for a hike to Stone Mountain. It’s a unique spot and you get to see the whole skyline of Atlanta and its green landscape. Little Five Points is a great spot if they’re into vinyl records or everything vintage -like I do-. Also, the High Museum of Art has a great collection that any art lover should see.
I’m such a foodie myself and I would love to take them to some of my favorite restaurants here. I would probably start with the banana pancakes at Ria’s Bluebird which’s within walking distance to my house. I love walking around Cabbagetown. I wouldn’t mind stopping at 97 Estoria for the good vibes and taking a long walk at Beltline to Ponce or Piedmont Park. The key is we have to spend the golden hour at Piedmont and we have to grab a slice of good NY-style pizza at Glide on the way. Talking about pizza, Antico’s is a must for me but don’t forget their pickled peppers! Obviously, they have to go try some soul food and you can’t go wrong with Mary Mac’s Tea Room. Great atmosphere and good desserts! If I fancy some burgers, the best burger in town is at the Black Bear Tavern, period. It would surprise you how good it is. If they want some Turkish food either I would cook it myself or I would take them to midtown to Agora. If I’m feeling a little fancy, I would take them to Little Bear or Gunshow both of which are quite close to where I live and maybe I will finally go all the way up to Decatur to check out The Deer and The Dove which has been on my list for too long now.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I used to watch past Oscar acceptance speeches of artists and every time I would be like ‘Why do they keep thanking people? You have millions watching you just say something better!’. But soon I learned we all owe a lot to the people who are humble and graceful enough to push us forward in our journeys. I couldn’t have made it so far in my journey if it wasn’t for them. I have a big family and all of them have supported me my whole life. My professors at Ankara University and Savannah College of Art and Design, their support and guidance helped me more than I could imagine. All my friends here and in Turkey filled my journey with joy. My lovely fiancé has been backing every step I took…
I have a special shoutout to my high school teacher, Fahri Gul, who always believed in me more than I believed in myself. For the ones who saw Giuseppe Torantore’s Cinema Paradiso, Fahri was my Alfredo. And my mother… She taught me everything.
I was nearly forgetting… That one student in that economics class… I’m truly thankful to her.

She changed my life…

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Image Credits
Isabella Medina Diego Amador