A NY-based filmmaker born in the Eurasian city of Istanbul, Esra creates love stories about outsiders and people stuck in-between. Her first feature film, Across the Sea (2014) won multiple awards at Slamdance, Milano Int’l FF and Adana. It also played at festivals like Warsaw, Florida, Istanbul and Raindance, among others. Esra’s other projects in development have been supported by EAVE, Sundance (Istanbul), Content London, IFP / Gotham, Transatlantic Partners and Hamptons Int’l FFl. She was a participant of the Berlinale Talents and Sarajevo CineLink Drama. A Graduate of Columbia University MFA Film Program, Esra received fellowships from SAG indie, NYSCA and HFPA.