TURKISH CINEMA HISTORY
The Turkish cinema began in 1915 by filming the first documentary film that tells the story of the destruction of the Russian monument Ayastefanos.
Dramatists Period
That period called dramatists due to nature of the films that have been produced and the concept of creativity among producers. This period, which was ruled by a generation of playwrights under Mohsen Ertugrul leadership, was a prominent type where adaptations of literary and historical drama was apparent.
This period was marked by positive aspects to the continuity of the movie business, despite the lack of resources. It is worth mentioning that the Turkish women’s entry into the world of cinema was achieved during this period.
In dramatists period was legal intervention by the state in the cinema - scenarios and movies control law 1939. In other words, the Turkish cinema was controlled by the government.
The majority of prominent filmmakers in this period were received education outside the country (audio engineering, photography, etc.) as Faruk Kenc and Orhun Murat.
Two films were distinguished in this period. First converted from the novel “Fire Shirt” Khaleda Adib, which reflects the heat of independence war in Turkey. This film can be regarded as the first major production in the Turkish cinema in terms of plot, dramatic and heroism, in addition to that this is first film that Turkish actresses played in. Second film is “A Nation Is Awaking,” which was a pioneer of the movies about war for independence. It is a masterpiece of Mohsen Orturul works.
Film Makers Period
In 1948, an important thing happen in Turkey, which make a large impact in development of Turkish cinema and its future. This year taxes have been reduced for some cultural areas, including cinema. With this economic adjustment, the number of production companies significantly increased. There is no doubt that this was not only economic development in the field of cinema, but it reflected positively on the country’s economy and increased the cultural level of citizens who went to cinema more than ever. The cinema, as an area of entertainment became an important part of culture in everyday life.
With these change happened quality jump in the field of cinema, appeared new concepts and techniques. In addition, the well-being of the people, with the advent of the Democratic Party which was in power on this time increased foreign aid, contributed to attract the audience to the cinema.
One of the most prominent filmmakers in this period is Omer Lutfi Akad. Akad’s impact was so deep that it influenced long time in Turkish cinematography. It is no exaggeration to say that Akad was the first to lay the foundation stone in the formation of the language of cinema. A number of prominent directors has worked in this period with Akad in the production of films like: Metin Erksan, and Atif Yilmaz, and Osman Sinav, and Memduh Un.
Yeşilçam Period
This period extends from the sixties to the middle of the eighties of the last century and it was the most productive period for movies. During Yeşilçam Period film production increased significantly (about 300 films only in 1971). It was also a period in which political debate reflected a lot and different trends appeared in cinema. New political film trends appeared such as revolution cinema, national cinema and folk cinema.
The prominent figure in cinematograph in this period was Yilmaz Guney. The galleries were filled of visitors for his film which is called “Ugly King” which was breaking the concept that the movie star should be handsome. Guney who combined political and cinematography identity, is the first filmmaker in the history of Turkey who gets the Palme d’Or prize.
This period gives also the start for Turkish films for participation in international festivals. At that period first Turkish film - “Dry Summer” received a Golden Bear award from the Berlin Film Festival.
With the increasing of political violence in the seventies, families began to move away from the cinema halls, and after that the Turkish cinema production was reduced from 300 films a year to only 30 films a year (in 1991).
Modern Turkish Cinema
Production and distribution of Turkish cinema started to retreat more and more in the early nineties with the entry of US distribution companies to the market. But this time, TV channels took the role for the revival of cinema. New faces and names entered the cinema world, thanks to a series of consecutive movies. Turkish cinema rebounded and got up and new names of cinema directors appears: Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Dervis Zaim and Zeki Demirkubuz.
In the nineties, public went to the Turkish cinema again after the success obtained by the movie “bandit”, directed by Yavuz Turgul who entered the world of cinema producing comedies. In the years of the new millennium, a new Turkish cinema experienced a renaissance with institutional support from the state.
MY FAVORITE MOVIES
1.Eşkıya : Film tells the love story of a bandit. Baran is one of the bandits who is get arrested at Mountain Judi thirty five years ago. When he gets out of prison, he finds out that the person who rats him is his best friend Berfo. Berfo, taked Baran's golds and the girl he loved, Keje and moved to İstanbul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g-17f770OM
2.Hababam Sınıfı : is a movie based on the novel written by Rıfat Ilgaz. The movie telling story about a class of lazy high school pranksters. Movie presents the most entertaining moments of high school years; that we have all been there once, and feel deep down a nostalgia for the days when life was fun and we were teenagers, going only after fun and entertainment. Cheating in Literature exams, smoking in the men’s room, playing hokey; those were the best days of our lives. While the movie is brilliantly and incredibly funny, but it contains also some heart breaking emotional moments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf2-8MRPGu8
3.Canım Kardeşim: film made in 1973, is an iconic Turkish movie about a little boy with leukemia. His biggest wish was to have a television at home. His two elder brothers were trying do everything to make his wish come true.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfs1uAbef_A
4.Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım: Story of a dilemma between a woman's love and her logic. Asya, a young girl with a strict mother, meets Ilyas who is a womanizer city man, and they quickly fall in love. They get over the hardships and have a quick happy marriage. However, after he helps a man one night, Ilyas' life changes forever and he leaves Asya and Samet, their son and doesn't come back. After that, Asya takes their son and go away without knowing where she is heading, until a familiar hand reaches her to help selflessly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u2XHF5q6pM
5.Babam ve Oğlum: Film shows a story of Turkish man, whose wife died while giving birth to his son. After a military coup he finally returns home. Estranged from his father for turning his back on the family farm, he takes his 8 year-old son and tries to repair relations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNC7rdAc8kQ
6.Kabadayı: Ali Osman has abandoned his past as a ruthless hoodlum. After he unexpectedly learning that he has a son from a past love, his life changes. He now dedicates his life to protect his son Murat and Murats girlfriend Karaca against Devran, a mafia leader who has long been in love in Karaca. Meanwhile, Devran has decided to do anything it takes to be with Karaca, including killing anyone that stands in his way. Kabadayi (Love and Honor), which has made $15 million in the box office, is the latest collaboration of Yavuz Turgul and Sener Sen as a writer and leading actor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehwyKUGmHas&list=PLkpHya-Gto4J8S06ztcdVAzSFwx1LuFZ2&index=6
7.Karpuz Kabuğundan Gemiler Yapmak: In his award-winning debut feature film, director Ahmet Ulucay portrays the innocence of childhood and the lure of the cinema for two teens in a small Turkish village. Working for a watermelon seller by day, Remet spends his evenings trying to rebuild a film projector with his friend Mehmet. Both have big dreams to be famous film directors one day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I7_g5O-9zw&list=PLkpHya-Gto4J8S06ztcdVAzSFwx1LuFZ2&index=52
8.Av Mevsimi: The lives of three homicide detectives are turned upside-down during a murder investigation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtJC5iAOL_E&list=PLkpHya-Gto4J8S06ztcdVAzSFwx1LuFZ2&index=3
9.Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da: it is a 2011 internationally co-produced drama film, co-written and directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan based on the true experience of one of the film's writers, telling the story of a group of men who search for a dead body in the Anatolian steppe.
https://www.fandor.com/films/once_upon_a_time_in_anatolia
https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/once-upon-a-time-in-anatolia
10.Mustang: When five orphan girls are seen innocently playing with boys on a beach, their scandalized conservative guardians confine them and force for arranged marriages.
https://vod.pl/filmy/mustang-2015-caly-film-online-napisy-pl-hd/m4le3xt?fbclid=IwAR0AJm2ydIqSwV06OFi6dJLIwKUt9SHcP1nAsole4R_OnII4faufPasndeM
SOURCE
The Turkish cinema began in 1915 by filming the first documentary film that tells the story of the destruction of the Russian monument Ayastefanos.
Dramatists Period
That period called dramatists due to nature of the films that have been produced and the concept of creativity among producers. This period, which was ruled by a generation of playwrights under Mohsen Ertugrul leadership, was a prominent type where adaptations of literary and historical drama was apparent.
This period was marked by positive aspects to the continuity of the movie business, despite the lack of resources. It is worth mentioning that the Turkish women’s entry into the world of cinema was achieved during this period.
In dramatists period was legal intervention by the state in the cinema - scenarios and movies control law 1939. In other words, the Turkish cinema was controlled by the government.
The majority of prominent filmmakers in this period were received education outside the country (audio engineering, photography, etc.) as Faruk Kenc and Orhun Murat.
Two films were distinguished in this period. First converted from the novel “Fire Shirt” Khaleda Adib, which reflects the heat of independence war in Turkey. This film can be regarded as the first major production in the Turkish cinema in terms of plot, dramatic and heroism, in addition to that this is first film that Turkish actresses played in. Second film is “A Nation Is Awaking,” which was a pioneer of the movies about war for independence. It is a masterpiece of Mohsen Orturul works.
Film Makers Period
In 1948, an important thing happen in Turkey, which make a large impact in development of Turkish cinema and its future. This year taxes have been reduced for some cultural areas, including cinema. With this economic adjustment, the number of production companies significantly increased. There is no doubt that this was not only economic development in the field of cinema, but it reflected positively on the country’s economy and increased the cultural level of citizens who went to cinema more than ever. The cinema, as an area of entertainment became an important part of culture in everyday life.
With these change happened quality jump in the field of cinema, appeared new concepts and techniques. In addition, the well-being of the people, with the advent of the Democratic Party which was in power on this time increased foreign aid, contributed to attract the audience to the cinema.
One of the most prominent filmmakers in this period is Omer Lutfi Akad. Akad’s impact was so deep that it influenced long time in Turkish cinematography. It is no exaggeration to say that Akad was the first to lay the foundation stone in the formation of the language of cinema. A number of prominent directors has worked in this period with Akad in the production of films like: Metin Erksan, and Atif Yilmaz, and Osman Sinav, and Memduh Un.
Yeşilçam Period
This period extends from the sixties to the middle of the eighties of the last century and it was the most productive period for movies. During Yeşilçam Period film production increased significantly (about 300 films only in 1971). It was also a period in which political debate reflected a lot and different trends appeared in cinema. New political film trends appeared such as revolution cinema, national cinema and folk cinema.
The prominent figure in cinematograph in this period was Yilmaz Guney. The galleries were filled of visitors for his film which is called “Ugly King” which was breaking the concept that the movie star should be handsome. Guney who combined political and cinematography identity, is the first filmmaker in the history of Turkey who gets the Palme d’Or prize.
This period gives also the start for Turkish films for participation in international festivals. At that period first Turkish film - “Dry Summer” received a Golden Bear award from the Berlin Film Festival.
With the increasing of political violence in the seventies, families began to move away from the cinema halls, and after that the Turkish cinema production was reduced from 300 films a year to only 30 films a year (in 1991).
Modern Turkish Cinema
Production and distribution of Turkish cinema started to retreat more and more in the early nineties with the entry of US distribution companies to the market. But this time, TV channels took the role for the revival of cinema. New faces and names entered the cinema world, thanks to a series of consecutive movies. Turkish cinema rebounded and got up and new names of cinema directors appears: Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Dervis Zaim and Zeki Demirkubuz.
In the nineties, public went to the Turkish cinema again after the success obtained by the movie “bandit”, directed by Yavuz Turgul who entered the world of cinema producing comedies. In the years of the new millennium, a new Turkish cinema experienced a renaissance with institutional support from the state.
MY FAVORITE MOVIES
1.Eşkıya : Film tells the love story of a bandit. Baran is one of the bandits who is get arrested at Mountain Judi thirty five years ago. When he gets out of prison, he finds out that the person who rats him is his best friend Berfo. Berfo, taked Baran's golds and the girl he loved, Keje and moved to İstanbul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g-17f770OM
2.Hababam Sınıfı : is a movie based on the novel written by Rıfat Ilgaz. The movie telling story about a class of lazy high school pranksters. Movie presents the most entertaining moments of high school years; that we have all been there once, and feel deep down a nostalgia for the days when life was fun and we were teenagers, going only after fun and entertainment. Cheating in Literature exams, smoking in the men’s room, playing hokey; those were the best days of our lives. While the movie is brilliantly and incredibly funny, but it contains also some heart breaking emotional moments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf2-8MRPGu8
3.Canım Kardeşim: film made in 1973, is an iconic Turkish movie about a little boy with leukemia. His biggest wish was to have a television at home. His two elder brothers were trying do everything to make his wish come true.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfs1uAbef_A
4.Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım: Story of a dilemma between a woman's love and her logic. Asya, a young girl with a strict mother, meets Ilyas who is a womanizer city man, and they quickly fall in love. They get over the hardships and have a quick happy marriage. However, after he helps a man one night, Ilyas' life changes forever and he leaves Asya and Samet, their son and doesn't come back. After that, Asya takes their son and go away without knowing where she is heading, until a familiar hand reaches her to help selflessly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u2XHF5q6pM
5.Babam ve Oğlum: Film shows a story of Turkish man, whose wife died while giving birth to his son. After a military coup he finally returns home. Estranged from his father for turning his back on the family farm, he takes his 8 year-old son and tries to repair relations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNC7rdAc8kQ
6.Kabadayı: Ali Osman has abandoned his past as a ruthless hoodlum. After he unexpectedly learning that he has a son from a past love, his life changes. He now dedicates his life to protect his son Murat and Murats girlfriend Karaca against Devran, a mafia leader who has long been in love in Karaca. Meanwhile, Devran has decided to do anything it takes to be with Karaca, including killing anyone that stands in his way. Kabadayi (Love and Honor), which has made $15 million in the box office, is the latest collaboration of Yavuz Turgul and Sener Sen as a writer and leading actor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehwyKUGmHas&list=PLkpHya-Gto4J8S06ztcdVAzSFwx1LuFZ2&index=6
7.Karpuz Kabuğundan Gemiler Yapmak: In his award-winning debut feature film, director Ahmet Ulucay portrays the innocence of childhood and the lure of the cinema for two teens in a small Turkish village. Working for a watermelon seller by day, Remet spends his evenings trying to rebuild a film projector with his friend Mehmet. Both have big dreams to be famous film directors one day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I7_g5O-9zw&list=PLkpHya-Gto4J8S06ztcdVAzSFwx1LuFZ2&index=52
8.Av Mevsimi: The lives of three homicide detectives are turned upside-down during a murder investigation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtJC5iAOL_E&list=PLkpHya-Gto4J8S06ztcdVAzSFwx1LuFZ2&index=3
9.Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da: it is a 2011 internationally co-produced drama film, co-written and directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan based on the true experience of one of the film's writers, telling the story of a group of men who search for a dead body in the Anatolian steppe.
https://www.fandor.com/films/once_upon_a_time_in_anatolia
https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/once-upon-a-time-in-anatolia
10.Mustang: When five orphan girls are seen innocently playing with boys on a beach, their scandalized conservative guardians confine them and force for arranged marriages.
https://vod.pl/filmy/mustang-2015-caly-film-online-napisy-pl-hd/m4le3xt?fbclid=IwAR0AJm2ydIqSwV06OFi6dJLIwKUt9SHcP1nAsole4R_OnII4faufPasndeM
SOURCE
- https://www.cctinvestments.com/turkish-cinema-history/?fbclid=IwAR0Fa_OgN2xx3fO8scohtsziFli2wtthhjakfvPdzvvu6dhj_DGLJVrNnqk
- http://ifistanbul.com.tr/en/film/eskiya/1852/
- https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1314131/?ref_=tt_urv
- https://www.behance.net/gallery/81856307/LOESEV-CHANGE-THE-END
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt000263975/
- https://rtv2-production-2-6.rottentomatoes.com/m/babam-ve-oglum-my-father-and-my-son/reviews/?page=13&type=user
- https://m.bpt.me/event/43811
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325675/
- https://huntingseason2010.wordpress.com/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Anatolia
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3966404/