SENEM BAY / FOUNDER DIRECTOR

Senem Bay was born in Istanbul. Having passed her entrance exam to high school she received journalism training and began working with Alin Taşçıyan at Milliyet Art Magazine at the age of 14. While studying advertising and cinema throughout her education, she began shooting short films. At the age of 17, she began her professional career behind the camera. She worked as an assistant director, casting director, editing supervisor, and producer on the films Nefes:Vatansağolsun, Romantik Komedi, Sürgün and Ayhan Hanım. She has worked on over 350 advertising projects. She continued her career as an advertising director by shooting a commercial featuring the famous Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. Her short film ‘Escape From The Palace’, shot at Topkapı Palace with the support of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, and the Chinese Embassy, was broadcast in over 60 countries. Her documentary film ‘Amca_The Geezer'  was screened at domestic and international festivals and received awards. Senem Bay continues her professional career directing commercials for local and global brands, writing scripts in various genres. She is currently in the pre-production phase of her first feature film, ‘HARABE’.

senem@bayfilm.co

Nida Karabol was born in Istanbul and graduated from the Italian High School and the Sociology Department of Istanbul University. 

Nida represented Italian, French, Spanish, Czech, and Hungarian — in short, European independent cinema — and television broadcasters in Turkey with her own company Umut Sanat. While the company continued its representation and distribution work, Nida Karabol established the production department. 

Between 1996 and 2007, she served on the board of SESAM (Turkish Cinematographic Work Owners Professional Association). From 2007 to 2011, she was the founder and chairwoman of the board of SE-YAP (Film Producers' Association of Turkey). 

She has served as a jury member at many national and international film festivals.

In 2024 Nida was awarded the “Bilge Olgac Achievement Award” at the 27th Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival.

In 2025 Nida was awarded the “Tuncan Okan Labour Award” at the 57th SIYAD (Turkish Film Critics Association) Awards.

Her filmography: 

-Istanbul Beneath My Wings (1995), directed by Mustafa Altıoklar, 

-Offside (2000), directed by Serdar Akar. 

-The Play (2005), directed by Pelin Esmer 

-10 to 11 (2009), directed by Pelin Esmer

-Watchtower (2012). directed by Pelin Esmer

nida@bayfilm.co

She started her film production career in Nar Film, then served as financial coordinator in Cinema and TV Broadcasters Workers’ Union. In 2019 she coordinated Sabancı Foundation Short Film Platform, later appointed as the budget controller for OGM Pictures, where she oversaw the budgets of domestic productions produced for national channels as well as digital platforms.

She's an alumna of Sarajevo Talents, CineLink ProducerLab, IDFAcademy and Birds' Eye View Filmonomics. Currently, she recently moved to Stockholm and she produces her projects at from in Sweden.

Sena Altundağ was born in Istanbul. She graduated from Robert College in 1980 and studied Architecture and Fundamental Arts at IDGSA (Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts). She participated in the architectural processes of projects such as the AKM (Atatürk Culture Center) Renovation Project, Beyazıt Library Restoration, Dakar Congress Center, Konya Selçuklu Cultural Center, Zorlu Center, NEOM Mansions, Istanbul Sapphire, stadiums and train stations. She has also held various positions, including editor of Architecture Unlimited magazine and Installation Coordinator for the 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial. Between 2005 and 2025, she served as the "Director of Research, Publications, Communication and Media" at Tabanlıoğlu Architecture. In 2020, she served as a consultant for the film Harabe by writer-director Senem Bay, who received 'Support for Directors Making Their First Feature Film' from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey. In 2021, she represented Harabe at the TRT 12 Punto Screenplay Days and received the TV Pre-Purchase Award. Currently, she is the general project coordinator under the BayFilm umbrella and is in the preliminary stages of the "r u in?" social responsibility project and film, which she prepared specifically for Harabe and aims to create sustainable employment for refugees living in Istanbul.

Notable exhibitions and installations include: 

2008 RIBA London / Istanbul and Beyond, 

2014 Venice Biennale / Places of Memory,

 2016 London Design Festival, Victoria and Albert Museum / Beloved, 

2016 Istanbul Modern/Thru, 

2015 Europalia Belgium, Antwerp-Port of City Talks, 

2015 London, Somerset House / Transition Warm-Wet, 

2018 Berlin Architektur Galerie / Recomposing AKM, 

2018 Milan Design Week / HousEmotion, and the 2021 Istanbul/AKM opening exhibition.

Her publications include T-Projects (2008-2010), Tabalıoğlu Architects: Transparency and Modernity (2014), Memory Spaces (2014), Port of City Talks (2015), Beloved (2016), and Atatürk Cultural Center (2021-2022).

Deniz was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. After high school she decided to move to Rotterdam, Netherlands for its vibrant, international and creative environment. She studied Communication and Media where she researched the role representation plays in film. Her love for cinema sparked in Rotterdam where at times she would find herself in the theater over 3 days a week. After gaining valuable experience in photography, digital media, and hospitality, she moved back to Istanbul to work closely with film industry professionals. She is currently working on HARABE as a pre-production assistant and translator, offering an international, multicultural and Gen Z perspective.

deniz@bayfilm.co

Born in Istanbul, Berkant entered the film and television industry quickly after completing his studies. He describes himself as a "filmmaker." He transforms chaos into a schedule and ideas into shooting plans on set. He has approximately 10 years of experience in the industry, the last 4 of which he has worked as an assistant director. Berkant, who has also been working as an executive producer for some time, takes analog photographs but generally prefers not to share them. He's a wonderful person who wants to make wonderful films. He's director Senem Bay's right hand and producer Nida Karabol's left.

berkant@bayfilm.co

Kadir Ceylan was born in 1970. He graduated from İzmit Namık Kemal High School in 1987. His career, which began at Alarko Holding, led him to the food industry, and then to Umut Sanat products, where he worked as an operations manager for approximately 20 years. Under the umbrella of Umut Sanat, he served as a coordinator in 5 feature films within producer Nida Karabol's team. Kadir, who loves cinema and people who love cinema, has earned the title of "BayFilm's elder brother" due to his meticulousness and attention to detail in everything he does. He is a problem-solving and highly experienced team member who never lets the age difference of over 30 years between him and the youngest member of our team be felt, and who illuminates the team with his experience.

PAF was born in Istanbul in 2012. She became familiar with film sets during her childhood. Besides feature films, she has eight years of experience in productions such as television series, commercials, and music videos. With her acting personality, she is a positive person within her team. Currently, she is in the pre-production phase of the feature film "Harabe," produced by Nida Karabol and directed by Senem Bay.