Together with his friends, he published the film magazine “Görüntü.” It was during his university years that his lifelong love for cinema shaped, persuading him to pursue filmmaking as a career.

After graduating from the university with a degree in Economics, Alper furthered his Academic work, receiving his PhD in Modern Turkish History.

[5] At 18, Emin Alper was stirred upon watching Emir Kusturica’s Time of the Gypsies, which made him, in his own words, “aware of the magic of cinema.” He is influenced by the works of Luchino Visconti, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Michael Haneke.

Through his analytical background and deep insight to Turkish history, Alper has developed a unique approach and style in filmmaking, gaining him widespread local and international recognition.

In an interview at the Venice Film Festival, Alper defines his style as “paranoia and dream versus reality.” Boyd van Hoeij in the Hollywood Reporter mirrors the director’s cinematic signature, writing “Some of these might be subjective point-of-view shots, or dreams, nightmares or hallucinations...since the film’s real world isn't as clearly defined, with Istanbul really seeming to be in the grip of increasing chaos and paranoia...” Besides blurring the lines between dream and reality, Alper plays with color and texture, creating a sense of psychic claustrophobia, made all the more tangible by the sound work of conceptual Turkish musician Cevdet Erek.