dannagarcia

1931

     Muhsin Ertuğrul's İstanbul Sokaklarında (The Streets of Istanbul) shares the titles of both "first Turkish co-production" (with Greece and Egypt) and "first talkie". Combining a cast of Turkish (Semiha Berksoy, Talat Artemel, I. Galip Arcan), Egyptian (Azize Emir) and Greek (Gavrilides) players the film is dubbed in Paris, at the Epinay studios.

1932

     Shoot with a cast of theatrical actors, including Atıf Kaptan, Ferdi Tayfur, Mahmut Moralı, Hadi Gün, Hazım Körmükçü, Sait Köknar, Ercüment Behzat Lav, Bir Millet Uyanıyor (A Nation Awakens), another War of Independence epic, becomes Muhsin Ertuğrul's best work and one of the first "good", films in the history of the Turkish cinema. Furthermore and again for the first time an actor (Atıf Kaptan) becomes a popular figure through his part (Captain Yahya) in the film.

     While Ertuğrul goes on completing Kaçakçılar (The Smugglers), İpek Film opens its first sound stage and censorship enters the Turkish cinema with the first version of the "Instructions concerning the control of cinema films " . akı filmlerimizden biridir. Ve ilk kez bir oyuncu halk içinde ünlenip öne çıkar. Bu oyuncu Yahya Kaptan rolüyle Atıf Kaptan'dır. Ertuğrul, Kaçakçılar'la çalışmalarını sürdürürken, İpek Film Şirketi de Nişantaşı'nda ilk sesli stüdyoyu kurup işlemlere başlar. Bu yıl, ilk şekliyle hazırlanan Sinema Filmlerinin Kontrolü Hakkında Talimatname'de yürürlüktedir.

1933

     4 feature films and 3 short ones are produced. 1933 is the year devoted mostly to operettas and vaudevilles. Muhsin Ertuğrul directs Karım Beni Aldatırsa (If my wife betrays me), Söz Bir Allah Bir (One is the word and one is the Lord) and Fena Yol (The Bad Way), the last being a further co-production with Greece. In the meantime, together with Nâzım Hikmet Ran who had authored several screenplays under the penname of Mümtaz Osman, Ertuğrul signs also Cici Berber (The Nice Barber). Nâzım Hikmet directs a short feature, Düğün Gecesi / Kanlı Nigâr (The Weding Night / Bloody Nigâr) and actor Hazım Körmükçü signs another short Yeni Karagöz (The New Karagöz).

1934

     A new producing company, "Ha-Ka (Halil Kamil) Films" is founded. Muhsin Ertuğrul directs Milyon Avcıları (The Million Hunters) and Leblebici Horhor Ağa while Nâzım Hikmet gives another short work with İstanbul Senfoni (The Symphony of Istanbul). The remake of Leblebici Horhor Ağa represents Turkey at the Second Venice Biennale and is awarded with a "diploma of honor" thus becoming the first Turkish feature awarded in an international film festival.

1935

     With Bataklı Damın Kızı Aysel (Aysel, the Girl from the Swampy Roof) Ertuğrul gives to the Turkish cinema its first rural drama. The film, who carries openly influences derived from the Soviet cinema, is also noticeable for the presence of Cahide Sonku, a theater actress who had entered the movies in 1933. With her interpretation of Aysel, Cahide Sonku becomes the first star of the Turkish screen. yönetmen araya girer. Tiyatrocuların dışından gelen bu yönetmen Faruk Kenç'tir. Almanya'da Fotoğrafçılık ve Film Okulu'nu bitirip 1938 yılında yurda dönen Kenç, zorunlu olarak Muhsin Ertuğrul'un takımındaki tiyatro oyuncularıyla bir süre çalışacaktır. Çünkü o günün koşulları içinde Şehir Tiyatrosu oyuncuları, hocaları Ertuğrul'un izinde olup, Türk sinemasını ellerinde tutmaktadırlar.

1939

     From 1916 to 1939 the Turkish cinema remains under the strong domination of theatrical personalities, including Muhsin Ertuğrul. In 1939 a new director enters the field, Faruk Kenç, who directs Taş Parçası (The Stone). Kenç returns to Turkey in 1938, after completing in Germany a film and photography school. And Kenç has also to use, in his cast, leading theatrical actors following the steps of Ertuğrul since the cinema is still dominated by the theater.

1940

     With Faruk Kenç entering the field the number of films produced during the year reaches 5. Suavi Tedü, a young stage actor playing leading parts in Ertuğrul's Şehvet Kurbanı (Victim of Lust) and Kenç's first action thriller Yılmaz Ali (The Indomitable Ali), starts a line of handsome and typical "jeune premier".

1942

     While 1941 ends with only one feature film produced, Muhsin Ertuğrul's "Kahveci Güzeli" (The Handsome Coffee-seller) brings out four releases, one (Kıskanç / The Jealous one) directed by Ertuğrul and the remaining three by Adolf Körner, a former Czechoslovakien entertainer. For "Ha-Ka Film" Körner directs three features in a row: Duvaksız Gelin (The Unveiled Bride), Sürtük (The Trollop) and Kerem ile Aslı (Kerem and Aslı). Among them Sürtük, an adaptation of G. B. Shaw's Pygmalion, will influence the melodramatic tradition of the Turkish screen through several remakes.

1943

     Nasrettin Hoca Düğünde (Nasrettin Hodja at The Wedding), started in 1940 by Ertuğrul from a screenplay by Burhan Felek, is finished by actor and dubbing specialist Ferdi Tayfur. A new producing company, "Ses Film", owned by Necip Erses enters into production with Dertli Pınar (The Sorrowful Spring) a further rural melodrama directed by Faruk Kenç.

1944

     Following Faruk Kenç another non-theatrical director, formed in Europe, comes back to Turkey in 1939; Baha Gelenbevi. Gelenbevi, who had worked in Paris with Abel Gance (Napoleon) and Marcel L'Herbier (L'argent), starts as Director of Photography in Kenç's Dertli Pınar then goes on to direct his first feature, Deniz Kızı (The Mermaid). sayısında ise belli bir artış görüldü. Erman Film (Hürrem Erman), Duru Film (Naci Duru) bu yapımevlerinin başlıcalarını oluşturdular.Yılın en önemli sinema olayı ise Yerli Film Yapanlar Cemiyeti'nin kurulması oldu. Çünkü YFYC, yapımcıları bir araya getiren bağımsız bir sinemacılar kuruluşudur. Kuruluşun İdare Heyeti'nde ise Faruk Kenç (İstanbul Film), İhsan İpekçi (İpek Film), Turgut Demirağ (And Film), Fuat Rutkay (Halk Film), Necip Erses (Ses Film), Murat Köseoğlu (Atlas Film), Refik Kemal Arduman (Ankara Film), İskender Necef (Birlik Film), Hikmet Aydın (Şark Film) ve Yorgo Saris (Elektra Film) görev aldı.

1945

     Kenç, who has formed his own company "İstanbul Film" in 1944, produces and directs Hasret (Nostalgia), a drama staring singer Münir Nurettin and newcomer Oya Sensev. With Kenç non-theatrical newcomers had the possibility of acting in feature films.

     During the year three new directors direct their first film: Şadan Kamil, who had graduated in photography in Germany, signs Onüç Kahraman (13 Heroes), Talat Artemel and Refik Arduman, both from the City Theater (İstanbul), give respectively Hürriyet Apartmanı (Freedom Apartment) and Köroğlu.

     And three new producing companies are started: Fuat Rutkay's "Halk Film", Nazif Duru and Murat Köseoğlu's "Atlas Film" and Turgut Demirağ's "And Film" Rutkay being a movie theater owner, Duru operating its own theater and Demirağ having graduated from the Southern California University and worked with Leo McCarey.

     Another non-theatrical actor, Sadri Alışık joins the cast of Faruk Kenç's Günahsızlar (Those Without sin) while further producing companies, such as Hürrem Erman's "Erman Film" and Naci Duru's "Duru Film", enters into the market.

     The year's most important event is the creation of the "Association of Film Producers" an independent association bringing together all producers of Turkish films. The Board is composed, thus, by Faruk Kenç, (Istanbul Film), İhsan İpekçi (İpek Film), Turgut Demirağ (And Film), Fuat Rutkay (Halk Film), Necip Erses (Ses Film), Murat Köseoğlu (Atlas Film), Refik Kemal Arduman (Ankara Film), İskender Necef (Birlik Film), Hikmet Aydın (Şark Film) and Yorgo Saris (Elektra Film).

1947

     12 feature films are produced during the year. Vedat Örfi Bengü, a pioneer of the Egyptian cinema, directs Bağda Gül (A Rose in the Wineyard); Seyfi Havaeri, a former stage actor in Burhanettin Tepsi's and Sadi Tek's theatrical companies, signs two films, Yara (The Wound) and Kılıbıklar (Woman-haters); Ferdi Tayfur, a member of the City Theater, gives Senede Bir Gün (Once A Year) and Kerim'in Çilesi (The Ordeal of Kerim). Following the steps of their "master" Muhsin Ertuğrul the said directors' works are stamped with a heavy, outdated theatrical pathos. Another negative influence is also derived from the Egyptian features abondantly imported in Turkey during the years of World War 2. pırıltılarından biridir Lütfi Ö. Akad Türk sinemasının gelişim tarihi içinde çok önemli yeri ve gerçekçi bir kurtuluş savaşı filmi olan Vurun Kapheye ile Akad, yeni sinema anlayışının ilk belirtilerini ortaya koyar.

     Among the new directors of the year the only one to gain some attention is Turgut Demirağ who, devoid of any theatrical background, had been formed in Hollywood. Adapted from a novel by Reşat Nuri Güntekin, Demirağ's Bir Dağ Masalı (Tale of A Mountain) constitutes the first attempt at a super-production.

1948

     18 features are produced. 5 of them are directed by Vedat Örfi Bengü, 7 are produced by Fuat Rutkay (Halk Film) who, in the following years, will remain the most active producer of the Turkish cinema.

     Meanwhile: three new companies are founded, Ömer Aykut's "Ömay Film", Agop Fındıkyan's "Işık Film" and Sabahattin Tulgar's "Milli Film". Sami Ayanoğlu and Kadri Ögelman, both coming from the ranks of Muhsin Ertuğrul, directs their first films, Harmankaya and Kahraman Mehmet (The Heroic Mehmet). And two non-theatrical directors enters the cinema: Şakır Sırmalı with Domaniç Yolcusu (The Domaniç Traveler) and Çetin Karamanbey with Silik Çehreler (Pale Faces).

     The rise in the number of feature films produced yearly as well as the flow of new producing companies is primarily caused by the fact that, as per the Law on Municipal Incoms, local productions are taxed, on ticket prices, only for 25 % so that, for the first time in its history, the Turkish cinema gains a protection aimed at its gross revenue.

     During the year the "Association of Film Producers" (Yerli Film Yapanlar Cemiyeti) organises the first offical Turkish films festival aiming at "Promoting several contests in order to help the development of the national cinema and assist its members". The awards of this first 'local films contest' are given as follows:

Best picture: Unutulan Sır (Forgoten Secret), directed by Şakir Sırmalı.

Second best picture: Bir Dağ Masalı (Tale of a Mountain), directed by Turgut Demirağ.

Best Director: Turgut Demirağ for Bir Dağ Masalı (Tale of a Mountain).

Best Photography: Kriton İlyadis.

Best Sound: Yorgo İlyadis.

Best actress: Nevin Aypar.

Best actor: Kadri Erdoğan.

Best character actress: Cahide Sonku.

Best character actor: Talat Artemel.

Best screenplay: Turgut Demirağ, for Bir Dağ Masalı (Tale of a Mountain).

Best story: Reşat Nuri Güntekin, for Bir Dağ Masalı (Tale of a Mountain)

Best processing : Ses Film (Necip Erses) studio.

Best editing: Özen Sermet.

Best original song: Unutulan Sır (Forgoten Secret)

Best art direction: Kadri Erdoğan, for Yuvamı Yıkamazsın (You Can't Destroy my Home) No awards had been given for make-up and original music.

1949

     Production reaches 19 feature films. The Turkish cinema is at the begining of a new era and during this era new, independent and original cinematographers will take their places, step by step, in accordance with the changing economical and social conditions. The first of them is Lütfi Ömer Akad, a landmark in the history of the Turkish cinema, who by directing his first feature, Vurun Kahpeye (Strike the Whore), gives a realistical War of Independence film and shows the first signs of a new and different filmic flair.

     A new and much more dynamic style is also evident in the acting of the new performers. Sezer Sezin (Vurun Kahpeye/ Strike the Whore), Muzaffer Tema (Çığlık/The Scream), Gülistan Güzey, Hümaşah Hican, Orhon Murat Arıburnu, Reha Yurdakul are only some of the names composing such a new generation of actors. Among them Sezer Sezin and Muzaffer Tema will reach stardom and a larger audience in the following years with Tema bringing to the "jeune premiere" type, started by Suavi Tedü, a more wide and popular approach.

1950

     22 films are produced during the year, the majority of them being the work of the "old generation" and its representative Vedat Örfi Bengü who directs 7 of them.Like other theatrical directors Bengü is living his last epoch. Still the sort of "primitive" cinema instaured and followed by Muhsin Ertuğrul and his pupils between 1922 and 1947 will go on for a while. Ertuğrul's "inheritance" is carried by names such as Kadri Ögelman, Cahit Irgat, Avni Dilligil, Mümtaz Ener and, it the following years, by Sami Ayanoğlu (1951), Kani Kıpçak (1951), Talat Artemel (1952) and Suavi Tedü (1953).

     Together with Faruk Kenç, Çetin Karamanbey and others from the 40's, newcomers like Orhan Murat Arıburnu, Semih Evin, Mehmet Muhtar, Hüseyin Peyda will somewhat try to stand against the theatrical tradition assisted by actresses like Neriman Köksal and Mesiha Yelda.