Born in Turkey, Ceylan Özgün Özçelik is a writer, director, producer, and editor. Özçelik produced, wrote, and hosted “En Heyecanlı Yeri,” a TV show about cinema that aired for almost 10 years, and directed the short films “A So Called Love Story” (2009) and “By Any Means Necessary” (2011). Also a film critic, Özçelik published a book of interviews and media memoirs, “Dikkat Çekim Var!” in 2013. “Inflame” (“Kaygi”), her debut feature, made its world premiere at the 2017 Berlinale Panorama. Currently, Özçelik is developing a dark comedy about women and violence.

“Inflame” will premiere at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival on March 12.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

CÖÖ: “Inflame” is a film about the terrifying limits of forgetting, a psychological thriller based on memory and its sphere of influence, told through a nightmare. The film tracks a news channel employee who lives in the country, where reality and hallucinations bounce off of each other. It tracks a woman, who seeks her past in her own memory, in an uncanny atmosphere.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

CÖÖ: Turkey’s infrastructure has been changing a lot over the last 10 years, towards a very bad direction. Actually, it is a fact for many European countries lately as well. But it’s somehow different in our country. Art house cinemas, theaters, and old historical buildings are destroyed, ugly high buildings and malls built instead, fracturing both the fabric of the country and our memory.

I remember being so scared when I realized that I couldn’t recall what was there before these recently-built shapeless things! I asked friends of various ages and backgrounds the same questions: “Do you remember what was there before?” “What was there before?” The result was frightening! None of them could remember. We do forget, indeed. Facing this truth made me think about the limits of oblivion.

So, the very first idea of the film was about a woman who is starting to remember in a society which is completely terrorized by the government and media’s “deleting and editing history” strategies.

W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?

CÖÖ: In the end it all comes to feelings. I wish people to feel the tension in the movie. What “Inflame” intends is to probe collective memory through the details of media and the individual circling a case of communal suffering. Let’s question our memory and social guilt.

We may see ourselves as a part of a bloody conspiracy. Yes, we are witnesses, but we cannot deny that we are also, to some extent, perpetrators as well.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

CÖÖ: Making people believe in you is a challenge in itself. Every stage, from finding a producer to festival admissions, is sweaty and compelling. But the most painful thing is that as a newcomer and a female director, you are forced to prove that you are capable of directing!

Some male members of the crew didn’t take me seriously on the set, during the post-production, etc. The writer/director is the person who creates the details in the first place, and that’s a fact. I think that’s what they’ve missed. Let’s say: Trying to stay calm when being mansplained during the making of this film for years was the biggest challenge.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

CÖÖ: “Inflame” was supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture as a first feature film. Just before the shooting we started a national crowdfunding campaign, which succeeded. The production company [IFP Istanbul Film Productions] financed the rest.

Also, during post-production the film won the Meetings on the Bridge Work in Progress Award. But I had to borrow money from time to time, to be able to keep working on the post-production and to pay the rent at the same time. Borrowing money is also a precious way of funding, I suppose.

W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at SXSW?

CÖÖ: It’s a dream come true! But it’s not only about sharing my debut feature with the American audience but also to gain a chance to improve myself as a filmmaker as well. The conference includes VR, design, midnight screenings, SXSW Create — I’m excited about every event at SXSW.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

CÖÖ: When I finished the first draft in 2012, I started to search for producers, financial supporters, someone, anyone who would be a bridge between me and a financier. I spoke to countless producers and film industry people for years about my story and the visual concept. I tried so hard to remember good advice for you. Unfortunately, I couldn’t recall any.

On the other hand, the bad advice feels endless. I’ve heard every kind of nonsense advice. Mostly, I was told to start with something simpler instead of “Inflame.” I still don’t know what that’s even supposed to mean. A simpler story? A simpler visual style? A simpler what? We are trying to make movies in Turkey, try to define simple for me! Lots of people tried to convince me not to make this film. It took me two and a half years to find the people who would say that they are in financially. Naysayers are everywhere and they are so disappointing.

W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?

CÖÖ: For all the upcoming, new female directors who still are in search of a person to rely on, who suffocated, felt alone, struggled, and were rejected for so long, please never give up! Each and every one of us needs a producer who tells us that our film matters every single day.

Every beautiful person who works for a film enters and leaves the stage at one point. It’s just the director who holds the whole structure, from the first idea to location scouting, from editing to poster design. So that’s why every director needs a creative producer to confide in.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

CÖÖ: Chantal Akerman is one of my all-time favorite directors and is an inspiration! Akerman’s “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels” is one of a kind. A highly visual narrative style, especially long takes which create the illusion of realism, and the masterful balance between what to show the audience and what to hide from them make “Jeanne Dielman” a very unique experience.

W&H: There have been significant conversations over the last couple of years about increasing the amount of opportunities for women directors yet the numbers have not increased. Are you optimistic about the possibilities for change? Share any thoughts you might have on this topic.

CÖÖ: I definitely do have hope, mainly thanks to the solidarity of women. Love and respect shouldn’t be that hard when it comes to women directors. We see countless “The 100 Greatest Directors of All-Time” lists online and in print media, for instance. How many of them include three or more women directors? There’s something very delicate about the conception. For example, no woman has ever been nominated for the Best Cinematography Academy Award. This sounds like a joke to me. So, how can we even struggle with this type of mentality?