萨飞·托曼，Seyfi Teoman was born in Kayseri, Turkey in 1977. After studying economics at Bogazici University in Istanbul, he worked as assistant director in various short films and advertisements. He lived in Lodz in Poland for two years, studying film directing at Polish National Film School where his tutor and supervisor was acclaimed Polish director Mariusz Grzegorzek. He shot his graduation movie, Apartman (Apartment) in 2004 which has been officially screened in many international film festivals. His feature debut, Tatil Kitabi (Summer Book), was the only Turkish production accepted to the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. After its world premiere at Berlinale's Forum section, the film won Best Film and Fipresci Prize at the 27th Istanbul International Film Festival. His second feature, Bizim Buyuk Carsizligimiz (Our Grand Despair), is selected for the competition at Berlinale 2011. Teoman is currently working on his third feature, provisionally titled as Evliya (Saints).