The documentary “Uluğbeyler: Erol Güngör,” prepared by the Cultural Hearth Foundation (KOCAV) and focusing on the life of Prof. Dr. Erol Güngör, an exceptional figure in Turkish intellectual thought, held its premiere with a magnificent gala organized at Istanbul University on April 11. The production, prepared with the support of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism General Directorate of Cinema, met its audience at the gala held at Istanbul University Faculty of Science Ord. Prof. Dr. Cemil Bilsel Conference Hall. The evening saw the participation of Prof. Dr. Erol Güngör’s family as well as many academics and students.

Prepared as the final episode of the “Uluğbeyler Documentary Series” following Turan Yazgan, Emin Işık, Süheyl Ünver, and Mehmet Niyazi, the documentary focuses on the life of Erol Güngör, one of the important figures in Turkish science and cultural history. Speaking at the opening of the gala, KOCAV Foundation Chairman Av. Dr. Ali Ürey reminded that they had promised Prof. Dr. Şeyma Güngör to “do the best” when starting the project, saying, “We are an ambitious foundation. We set out to surpass previous works on Erol Güngör and produce the most qualified production.” Defining Erol Güngör as the foundation’s intellectual leader, Ürey stated, “Our teacher wanted a youth that questions, researches, and is equipped with national values. In our eyes, he is the enlightened face of the Turkish nation. With this production, our aim is to imprint his world of ideas into the memory of new generations.”

Prof. Dr. Şeyma Güngör, Erol Güngör’s wife who served as the documentary’s advisor, emphasized KOCAV’s work with young people, stating, “Our future will be realized with our students. The naming of this hearth after Erol Güngör is not a matter of personal pride for me, but a source of pride as a member of this profession.” Prof. Dr. Sevtap Kadıoğlu, Dean of Istanbul University Faculty of Letters, noted that Erol Güngör was a valuable academic who was raised and served in the faculty’s scientific atmosphere, adding, “Remembering his world of thought and transmitting it to younger generations is a debt of gratitude for us.”

The 92-minute production, directed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mesut Aytekin, stands out with its experimental and multi-layered structure that transcends traditional documentary narratives. The documentary, which is the product of a comprehensive 6-month research period and a meticulous 2.5-year shooting process, featured in-depth interviews with 25 individuals who witnessed Erol Güngör’s life across five different provinces including Izmir, Ankara, Konya, Kırşehir, and Istanbul. In the production, where artificial intelligence technologies are used as an artistic tool, old photographs obtained from archives are brought to life through digital means, while the spirit of the past is conveyed through a parallel world constructed with today’s youth. The documentary, prepared with fictional storylines and AI-supported scenes, had its cinematography directed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Akyol, a faculty member at Istanbul University Faculty of Communication, while assistant direction was undertaken by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ümit Sarı, also from the same faculty. The documentary, brought to life through the collective effort of a massive production team of approximately 40 people and young talents from different academic disciplines, exemplifies a successful university-industry collaboration.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mesut Aytekin, who served as the documentary’s director, took the stage together with the filming crew, drawing attention to the dedicated efforts during the production process. Emphasizing that the documentary is not merely a production telling the past but an invitation to the future, Aytekin stated, “The young Erol Güngörs we are looking for are right here, they will emerge from within such communities. However, let us seek, await, and raise the Erol Güngörs not only as scholars and academics with their unique characteristics but as the Erol Güngörs of their own fields. Our documentary has tried to convey this.”

Born in Kırşehir in 1938, Erol Güngör left his mark on Turkish intellectual life with his works on nationalism, cultural change, and social psychology. He also served as the Rector of Selçuk University. A true Turkish intellectual, Güngör packed numerous original and translated works into his short but fruitful 44-year life. The gala event concluded with the presentation of plaques of appreciation to the technical team and actors who contributed to the project, followed by the film screening.