Eylem hails from Istanbul, Turkey where she worked as an advertising manager at CNBC TV and HEARST Magazine Group for several years. Her incessant passion for cinema compelled her to relocate to Vancouver in 2002, where she was awarded a full scholarship to join the film production program of Vancouver Film School. Upon graduation, she landed her first job on the Hollywood blockbuster of the 3rd X MEN as visual effects assistant. She then continued her prolific career on American film productions such as Possession, Frankie and Alice, The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, Underworld: Awakening, and Seventh Son. She is a member of the Local Film Union IATSE 891 as Production Coordinator.
She has been organizing the Vancouver Turkish Film Festival since 2011. She is also holding a volunteer position at the Turkish Canadian Society and BC Children’s Hospital.

Demet grew up amid the rich cultural diversity of Anatolia. She believes that by embracing diversity, we come to realize our human commonalities. Since arriving in Vancouver in 2000, she has volunteered in such roles as president, vice president of TCS, coordinator of the Vancouver Turkish choir, the founder of the Turkish Tunes, organizer of the Turkish Festival at Minoru Centre, and a member of VTFF organizing committees. The success of the first Turkish Tunes (2009) led to a dream for her; a Turkish Film Festival in Vancouver and, luckily, Eylem Sonmez assumed this tremendous challenge. Under Eylem’s visionary leadership, Demet assisted her when they staged the first VTFF in 2011 with an army of volunteers. A physician by training, Demet completed an MHSc at UBC and works as a health researcher in Vancouver.