Director Gökçe Kaan Demirkıran, one of the prolific names in documentary cinema, was the guest on the 107th episode of “With Eylül Aşkın…”, prepared and presented by Eylül Aşkın. The program took place in the warm atmosphere of Medusart Cafe located on Uzun Hafız Street in Kadıköy.

In this special interview, Demirkıran spoke with all sincerity about both his cinema journey and the background of the documentaries he made on music and sports history.

The Path from Sociology to Documentary Filmmaking

Demirkıran stated that his undergraduate and graduate education in sociology was decisive in his turn towards documentary cinema, emphasizing that this choice was not initially conscious but over time, through the relationship he built with history and geography, it gave him a deep perspective on cinema.
The director, who mentioned that he was involved with music during his university years and that he “searched for ways to make music” when he came to Istanbul, expressed that the sociological perspective provided him with a great advantage in the processes of research and knowledge construction.

First Documentary: An Experiment in Music – Traces of Anatolian Rock

Demirkıran’s first film, “An Experiment in Music”, carried him into Turkey’s popular music history in a way he did not expect.
The director, who stated that the recording sound of the era of names like Cem Karaca, Barış Manço, and Fikret Kızılok still attracts young generations, explained that his interest in the sociological context of Anatolian Pop brought this film to life.

Being selected for the Istanbul Film Festival with his first documentary, which he shot at the age of 20, was both a surprising and instructive experience for him. Describing that period as “I was young, inexperienced; I was embarrassed to say director,” Demirkıran states that the film drew strength from the intense interest in music nostalgia.

The Establishment of “Deney” (Experiment): A Workshop in Documentary Production

Following his first documentary, the production initiative “Deney” (Experiment), which he founded together with his brother Cenk Demirkıran, enabled the director to undertake long-term projects.
Named after the idea of “trying, erring, and reproducing,” Deney over time turned into a small but productive collective with contributions from friends as well.

Sports History Documentaries: Beautiful Man Süreyya and Darüşşafaka’s 100 Years

The breakthrough point in the documentary filmmaker’s works that reached a wide audience was his studies on sports history.

“Beautiful Man Süreyya”, which tells the portrait of Süreyya Soner, the legendary equipment manager of Beşiktaş, is a work that lasted a full 7 years. The high rating of 7.9 received by the film on IMDb is an indicator that the documentary resonated with the audience.

Subsequently, the documentary he prepared on the 100th anniversary of the Darüşşafaka Sports Club carried him into the depths of sports history stretching from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic.
Stating that the field of sports is a “virgin” documentary area in Turkey, Demirkıran said that the interest shown in music nostalgia is not shown much to sports nostalgia, which is why sports history often remains in the background.

The director also noted that with the widespread use of digital platforms, interest in sports documentaries has increased, and he shared that in 2024, he launched the Sports Film Festival, Turkey’s only sports films festival.

Current Projects and Future Plans

Demirkıran stated that because of his personal interests in music and sports history, his projects are predominantly in these areas, but he has long desired to make documentaries on war history and archaeology, though he hasn’t yet found the opportunity due to time and conditions.

The director, who is currently working on a new sports documentary, also shared on the program that he plans to shoot a short music documentary at the first opportunity.