Balahan Gürel is a filmmaker, producer, and the founder of Pera 8 Films, a production company dedicated to creating bold, thought-provoking, and culturally resonant cinema. 

Born to a family with a background in theatre, jazz, and literature. He graduated with distinction from Toronto Film School’s Writing for Film&TV program under the presidency of Emmy and Golden Globe-winning producer Andrew Barnsley. 

He took part in the production of several films including Venice Critics Week winner Ghosts. He worked at ZeynoFilm alongside Palme d'Or-winning producer Zeynep Atakan and became a part of the team that spearheaded Sabancı Foundation’s Short Film Competition, the recipient of European Film Academy’s (EFA) European Sustainability Award.

The projects he wrote, directed, and produced have been selected for prestigious festivals and platforms, including Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival's Script Pool, Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival's Euro Connection, Istanbul Film Festival's Meetings on the Bridge, Drama International Short Film Festival, and Izmir International Short Film Festival.

He is currently in pre-production for his debut feature film This Is It, The Apocalypse, with support from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, while also producing exciting international co-productions across North America, Europe, and the MENAT regions.