Born in Ankara, she is a French-Turkish film director and screenwriter known for her debut feature film, "Mustang" (2015), which received critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Raised in Paris, she studied filmmaking at La Fémis and history at the Sorbonne. Her work often explores themes of female empowerment and societal constraints. She has also directed "Kings" (2017), set during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, starring Halle Berry and Daniel Craig.