Istanbul-born Ela studied film production and film studies at Chapman University. Fairy Dust (2008), a romantic drama about growing up, making peace with the past, and believing in miracles, is the director’s first feature-length film. She has written, directed, and edited Lost Birds (2015) with Aren Perdeci. Lost Birds, a historical fairy tale, is the first film to depict the great tragedy of the 1915 Armenian exile in a film shot in Turkey. Lost Birds was featured in American Cinematographer’s September 2015 issue, singing praises to its stunning cinematography. Lost Birds’ screenplay was selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library’s Core Collection.