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1914

     Starting from 1908 more movie theaters are opened in various cities, most of them owned by foreigners or minorities. Practically the history of the Turkish cinema starts on November 14, 1914 when Fuat Uzkınay, being at that time an army officer, shoots a 150 meter long documentary (Ayos Stefanos'taki Rus Abidesinin Yıkılışı / The Demolition of the Russian Monument in St. Stephan) considered to be the first Turkish film.

      One year later (1915), by orders coming from Enver Pasha, Minister of War, an "Army film Center" is founded and Sigmund Weinberg, a pioneer in the film field, appointed as head of the said Center with Uzkınay as his assistant. Weinberg, who was usually shooting war documentaries and newsreels concerned with the visits of foreign monarchs, succeeds in convincing Enver Pasha to start producing feature films.

      Weinberg's first attempt is an adaptation of a popular stage play, Leblebici Horhor, but after a while and due to the death of one of the leading actors, the shooting has to be stoped. A second film, Himmet Ağanın İzdivacı (The Marriage of Master Himmet), encounters a similar end when most of the actors are recruited in order to serve during the war of the Dardanelles. It is only after the end of World War I that Fuat Uzkınay, substituting Weinberg at the head of the "Army Film Center", will complete Himmet Ağa'nın İzdivacı (1918).

1917

     In those first years of the Turkish cinema a further military office, "Müdafaa-i Milliye Cemiyeti" (The Association for National Defence), gets involved into film production, Fuat Uzkınay, now a foremost documentary director, is put at the head of the said department and young journalist, the 20 years old Sedat Simavi, succeeds in directing two feature films, Pençe (The Claw) and Casus (The Spy). Both being the truly completed first feature films of the Turkish cinema.

1919

     Only two feature films are produced during the year: Mürebbiye (The Governess) and Binnaz. Both are directed by the 62 years old Ahmet Fehim, a leading figure in the foundation of the Turkish theater, and the male cast is composed by such stage actors as Raşit Rıza Samako, Behzat Butak and Hüseyin Kemal Gürmen while the female leads are played by Mme. Kalitea, Eliza Binemeciyan and Bayzar Fasulyeciyan.

1921

     Şadi Fikret Karagözoğlu, a top comedian of the period, brings to the Turkish screen, with Bican Efendi Vekilharç (Mister Bican, Secretary) the first comic character. Karagözoğlu directs two more adventures of his hero, Rican Efendi Mektep Hocası (Mister Bican, School- master) and Bican Efendi'nin Rüyası (Mister Bican's Dream), playing also the leading part.

1922

      A new era begins in the Turkish cinema with Muhsin Ertuğrul, who had worked as an actor and director in the German cinema from 1916, returning in Turkey and with the foundation, by brothers Kemal and Şakir Seden, of "Kemal Film", Turkey's first private producing company. Muhsin Ertuğrul, relying on his filmic experiences abroad, directs two features for "Kemal Film": İstanbul'da Bir Facia-i Aşk (A Love Tragedy in Istanbul) and Boğaziçi Esrarı / Nur Baba (The Mystery of the Bosphorus / Father Light).

      The second one causes some incidents: adapted from a novel by Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu it attracts the attention of the religious sect known as the "Bektaşi". Thinking that the production is aimed against their teachings the Bektaşi's raid the studio, while shooting is in progress. The police has to protect the crew, the leading actor flies in panic and refuses to resume his work and so on. But, in the end, the film is finally completed.

1923

      Muhsin Ertuğrul is ready to start his career, as the ruler and No. I man of the Turkish cinema, directing three productions during the year. The first of them is Ateşten Gömlek (The shirt of fire), adapted from the novel by Halide Edip Adıvar. Set during the years of the Turkish War of Independence it remains the "first" of an epic tradition and, furthermore, also the first film where -following the proclamation of the Turkish Republic (1923) and its allowing Turkish women the freedom to work- two Turkish actresses, Bedia Muvahhit and Neyyire Neyir, appears in front of the camera.

      During the year Muhsin Ertuğrul directs also Leblebici Horhor and Kız Kulesinde Bir Facia (A Tragedy at Kız Kule).

1924

      Muhsin Ertuğrul directs only one movie and after completing Sözde Kızlar (The Would be Girls), adapted from a novel by Peyami Safa, goes to Russia (1925) to continue his cinematographical works.

1928

      The brothers, İpekçi who, in 1924, had started a ring of movie theaters enters feature production with a new company, "İpek Film", thus founding the second private film producing venture of the Turkish cinema. Muhsin Ertuğrul, back to Turkey, starts directing the first feature of "İpek Film", Ankara Postası (The Courier from Ankara), to be completed the following year.

      Another feature, also signed by Muhsin Ertuğrul, and titled Kaçakçılar (The Smugglers) has to be interrupted when one of the leading actors dies in a car crash. Kaçakçılar is thus completed in 1929.TUNALIM...