In the year 2011, Fatma Ergüven received an invitation to participate in the prestigious Cannes Film Festival's Atelier, a program aimed at developing innovative projects. It was during this event that she crossed paths with fellow director Alice Winocour, who was there to nurture her debut feature film, Augustine.
As Ergüven struggled to secure financing for her own project, The Kings, Winocour offered words of wisdom, suggesting that she focus on crafting a more intimate and personal story. This collaboration led to the conception of Mustang, a script that would ultimately become Ergüven's directorial debut.
Ergüven's maiden film, Mustang, premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, specifically in the Directors' Fortnight section, where it garnered the esteemed Europa Cinemas Label Award. The film subsequently made its way to the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, further cementing its international appeal.
Notably, Mustang was chosen as the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 88th Academy Awards, and although it didn't secure the top honor, it did earn a spot on the shortlist for the coveted award.
Ergüven's impressive work didn't go unnoticed, as she received multiple César Award nominations, ultimately taking home the César Award for Best First Feature Film and the César Award for Best Original Screenplay.
When reflecting on the film's overwhelming success, Ergüven expressed her surprise, stating, "During Cannes, I was telling this joke: Tuesday we'll show the movie, Wednesday we'll talk to the press, Thursday we'll be old news. But that Thursday never came! We're still Wednesday, and it's just getting more intense."
