He is a man who came to Sweden as a boy all alone without his parents from the Kurdish part of Turkey. I lived for 5 years as a hidden refugee and struggled to get a fresh start in the new country. During my time as a hidden refugee, my best friends had the loneliness, the fear, the panic of doubts and uncertainty that taught me to dream that one day I will be a moviemaker.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
I was 9 years old started playing on the streets together with a friend. I fell more in love being an actor, then after I start writing and shared roles to my childhood friends who were as old as me . I started directing them , it’s was a feeling that I overcame to make all the children do what is I want to say and all this did in front of my parents and adults who were curious what we do. The sad thing is neither of my parents didn’t see I had talent while they were having fun watching us. Dem never thought to send me to a movie line school.
-Tell us about your project “Nice To Meet You”.
“Nice To Meet you” is a short film project about Emilio and Mikas, two men in their 30s who have never known true love or embrace from their parents as children. One night in a park, when Mikas is on the verge of taking his life, Emilio sees him and intervenes in an impulsive act. This becomes the starting point of their first meeting. During that night, as they share their wounded memories, an unlikely and deep connection develops between them. They explore their feelings and desires, leading to an unexpected intimate experience. When they wake up the next day, they face questions about their feelings and how this night will affect their lives going forward. The film aims to raise awareness around topics such as mental health, the complexity of love and the importance of overcoming childhood trauma. By portraying an authentic and vulnerable story, we hope to inspire conversations about these important issues and show that love can be found in the most unexpected places.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
Stanley Kubrick , Ingmar Bergman , Christopher Nolan and Fatih Akin.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
Politics and Religion I do not like . I would purge both of them from our planet. Without them two we would have lived much happier.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Since everything is becoming digitized , cinema in 100 years will become a nostalgia for us all.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
I’m so grateful that I got to be there first, I want to say. Helping filmmakers to be heard around the world is incredibly important for those of us who want to tell our story. And you are part of that for us.
Where does your desire to express yourself through art come from?
My desire to express myself through art comes from both my own life and the experiences of others. I’m often inspired by documentary films and non-fiction books, which encourage me to explore different perspectives in order to create and present meaningful messages to the audience.
What are your goals as an artist?
My goals are to become a filmmaker who can direct films filled with infectious energy and impact, working with lovely people.
What is your opinion on the cultural industry?
I think mainstream films dominate the entire film market. For example, Hollywood films often lack creativity, and the standardization of storytelling can make them feel boring and predictable. They mainly focus on whether a film will be profitable and appeal to the largest possible audience, putting commercial success above artistic originality.
There are pros and cons to mass production in the cultural industry. On one hand, it can reach a wide audience and produce profit; on the other hand, it may not be the most interesting way to promote artistic work and can feel like an old-fashioned approach to engaging viewers.
In conclusion, I think that a healthy cultural industry will combine popular appeal with fresh ideas while also supporting smaller, creative works in the future, much like what film streaming platforms such as Netflix are beginning to do.
Do you think independent artists today have enough opportunities to share their creativity?
Yes, I believe independent artists today have more opportunities to share their creativity than before. There are many online platforms and portfolios such as artist webpages, Behance, YouTube, and Vimeo that allow them to showcase their work. In addition, sharing and promoting trailers on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram provides further ways to reach wider audiences. Independent artists can also use film festival platforms such as FilmFreeway or Click For Festivals to submit their projects to festivals worldwide. Moreover, they have the possibility to collaborate with media platforms such as Vice, where they can pitch ideas by sending proposals via email. This gives independent filmmakers the chance and freedom to explore different approaches in developing their ideas and stories, and to present them to audiences in more creative and original ways.
What new project are you currently working on?
I’m still working on what to do with my next project. I’m thinking of documenting local communities in UK. I am considering creating a documentary about pole dancing, fitness, and well-being in the UK, inspired by the Netflix film Strip Down, Rise Up. Another idea I have is to document the deaf community in Manchester. I am thinking of inviting a deaf friend named Helen to share her experiences and thoughts, telling her story as part of the documentary.
I try to learn a little more about who she is every day, haha.
I asked the internet and apparently: Alix Bénézech is a French actress, seen in theater, in cinema (Mission: Impossible – Fallout directed by Richard Linklater with Tom Cruise, The 15:17 to Paris directed by Clint Eastwood, BIS directed by Dominique Farrugia) and in series (Nina, Emily in Paris, Whiskey Cavalier). Winner of several acting awards, she pursues an international career between Paris and Hollywood. Soon to appear in Nouvelle Vague, directed by Richard Linklater, releasing in theaters in France on October 8 and later on Netflix, in the role of Juliette Gréco.
I can also add that I am passionate about 19th-century literature, especially Marcel Proust, an author I studied for my Master’s in Modern Literature. I can also say that after spending time with me every day, my character is absolutely similar to that of a cat.
How did you approach the role of Juliette Gréco in Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague?
I knew Juliette Gréco by name, but I knew little about her life. So I investigated, as I like to do for each role entrusted to me. I discovered an exceptional woman who had an extraordinary life, marked by war, silent for a long period until meeting Boris Vian—a visionary woman, a woman who created an artistic movement, who was the muse of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, who worked with Sartre and all the existentialists (such a beautiful word, existentialist), ahead of her time, a feminist before the Me Too era, an inspiring and free artist with a key word: LOVE, whether it was love for the men she loved, notably Miles Davis, but also love in every gesture of her art and life—a woman of faith, without referring to any particular religion, even though she liked to say “may God hear you” and associated with priests. By reading her books, listening to all her interviews, listening to all her songs, and her singular voice, again and again, I found many points of resonance, soul connections.
Without going into details of my personal life, as I am quite private about it, Juliette became like a big sister, a best friend, and very quickly, already at the first casting, beyond the physical resemblance I had already been told about, I had become Juliette Gréco—not as an imitation, but simply by letting her live through me as if I were a new Juliette Gréco.
Juliette did me a lot of good at that moment in my life; I really needed to have this imaginary yet so real encounter for me.
Then I met Richard Linklater at the callback with Guillaume Marbeck, and it was magical. I saw Jean-Luc Godard in person, I just had to improvise, live, be Juliette—everything was fluid. I remember a moment when Guillaume Marbeck, who was very generous, said something that resonated both for Juliette Gréco and for me: he said, “I think French cinema underestimates you.” I remember containing my emotion because if I cried, it would no longer have been Juliette Gréco. And it truly resonated, because at that moment I felt a little like an outsider in France. Since then, I have returned to film sets and feel the wind at my back—I believe that’s cinema: waves. I’m happy to have learned to surf and to ride this new wave joyfully.
At the end of the improv, Richard Linklater, who had remained very discreet, observing and listening, with great gentleness said to me, “Bravo.” At that moment I thought he said it just to please me, out of politeness for the work accomplished. I left the casting and cried in the street, taking off Juliette’s retro heels and putting my sneakers back on—I cried because I felt like I was saying goodbye to an entire world of cinema and creativity that I wanted to continue exploring. Then I got the call from Stéphane Batut, the casting director, in January 2024, and I felt immense gratitude, exactly the same as when my agent had told me I was cast in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT. I thought, “You did a good job, you are on the right track.” And I immediately went back to work to prepare for filming.
Then there was a moment I remember before shooting, during costume fittings. I met costume designer Pascaline Chavanne, her entire team, Elsa Heizmann, and all the CHANEL teams to try on Juliette Gréco’s costumes. I went to the legendary Gabrielle Chanel apartment on Rue Cambon in Paris, and I remember the awe I felt climbing the stairs of this iconic place. And the emotion I felt trying on the authentic CHANEL suit that Juliette Gréco had worn. I thought everything was aligned, and that I was about to be part of a cinematic adventure that would likely go very far. I had a vision at that moment, and everything has been confirmed since.
Nouvelle Vague is a film much loved by cinephiles. Which cinema from this historical period do you love the most?
Yes, it’s wonderful—all the magic around this film, it’s a love letter to cinema, and it’s amazing that so many cinephiles love it. It’s a film that unites. And I think that’s important today. I wholeheartedly love François Truffaut’s LES 400 COUPS; this is the work I mentioned in my self-tape for the casting. It’s a kaleidoscopic work, which I actually discovered at Cannes. As a child, I had won a contest to attend the Cannes Festival for a week to discover films; Les 400 Coups was screened on the beach, and I took a photo. I found this photo in my diaries—it felt like a beautiful sign, and I gave it to Richard Linklater at the end of shooting.
I also watched BONJOUR TRISTESSE a lot, and I was amazed discovering Richard Linklater’s film, and witnessing Zoey Deutch’s nuanced and sensitive performance—she recreated so accurately the truth of Jean Seberg, an actress who has always deeply moved me.
You also had other prestigious professional experiences, like your role in The 15:17 to Paris. What was it like being directed by Clint Eastwood?
Thank you. I loved meeting Clint Eastwood—he is so funny and works with great gentleness. I only had one day of filming, but I remember every moment. He thought I was German because I played a small barmaid in a Berlin pub, and it’s true that I lived in Germany for 10 years—I barely have an accent. He gives a lot of freedom and space, which is why I think his films feel so human. He had lunch with us, all the actors, and we talked about many subjects—it was fabulous. Seeing a living legend, one of my favorite directors and greatest inspirations, simply talking about our favorite dishes, jazz, sports, and cinema—it was fantastic.
What projects are you currently working on?
I just finished filming BERLIN BERLIN directed by Olivier Van Hoofstadt with Didier Bourdon—I had a lot of fun; it’s going to be funny. I also filmed L’INFILTRÉE directed by Ahmed Sylla, where I act alongside him, and the TV movie PAPA MALGRÉ LUI for TF1, where I act with Arnaud Ducret. I’ve also done a lot of work for France Télévisions, in the series TOM ET LOLA season 2, ASTRID ET RAPHAËLLE season 6, and the TV movie MEURTRE EN PÉRIGORD VERT. I have also appeared in several short films by Swann Dupont, Gil Gharbi, and was a finalist for the 2025 INTERPRETATION LABELS for my role in the short film DE CELLES QUI GUÉRISSENT, aired this summer on TF1. I have other upcoming projects that I can’t wait to talk about.
