Mert Er About me

Mert Er was born in Ankara on October 10, 1995. He earned his Bachelor's degree in International Relations from TOBB University of Economics and Technology. Following his graduation, he moved to Rome, Italy, where he completed his Master's degree in Cultural Diplomacy: Arts and Digital Media for International Relations and Global Communications at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. His thesis, which focused on resolving issues between Türkiye and Armenia through city diplomacy, earned him his degree.

Upon graduating in 2019, Mert joined the Communications division of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome as an editor. Initially working in the office, he later transitioned to a remote position, which he held until January 2025. In 2020, WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger, promote peace in conflict-affected areas, and prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict. Mert Er was also honored as a laureate.

After directing his first short film, I Apologize for What Happened Yesterday, shot in Heybeliada, Istanbul, Mert worked on various film projects that received awards and were screened at international film festivals. In 2024, he wrote and directed the short film Encore Désolé, which explores themes of memory, family, and identity. The film is currently in the festival process and was selected for the Oakville Festivals of Film and Art (OFFA) in 2025.

His photography project, The Coppersmith, received an Honorable Mention award at the International Photography Awards in 2023. To support war-torn countries, he participated in the Second Life: Art and Recycle exhibition with his brutalist installation titled No Peace, No Place.

Mert studied Filmmaking at EICAR (École Internationale de Création Audiovisuelle et de Réalisation), majoring in directing, and earned his Master of Arts degree. In 2024, he was invited as an artist to give a Narrative Structure Workshop at the Closing the Gap event in Paris, which was organized by Alter Ego (X), the European Network of Cultural Centres, and Le Sample. He continues to live and work in Paris.

Awards

Mert Er

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