Ali Özgentürk
Encyclopedia
Ali Özgentürk is a renowned Turkish
film director
, screenwriter
, and producer
. He was born in 1947 in Adana
, Turkey
. After studying philosophy and sociology at Istanbul University, he became involved in theater, as an actor, director, and playwright. He founded Istanbul's first street theater troupe in 1968. He began working in the Turkish film industry in 1974 as a camera assistant, and eventually became an assistant and screenwriter for famous Turkish film directors such as Atif Yilmaz
and Yilmaz Guney
.
In 1977, Özgentürk wrote the screenplay for director Atıf Yılmaz
's film Selvi Boylum, Al Yazmalım (The Girl with the Red Scarf), which would go on to become a major hit in Turkey. In 1979, Özgentürk directed his first feature, Hazal, which he co-wrote with Onat Kutlar. The film won awards at the Mannheim Film Festival
, Prades Film Festival, and the Best New Director award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival
. Ozgenturk followed it in 1982 with At (The Horse), which screened at the Cannes Film Festival
and won major awards at the Valencia Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival
, which awarded it the Ozu Award, carrying a cash prize of $250,000. His third feature, 1985's Bekςi (The Guardian), an adaptation of Turkish novelist Orhan Kemal
's classic novel Murtaza, holds the distinction of being the first Turkish film to screen in competition at the Venice Film Festival
.
Özgentürk courted controversy with his fourth film, Su da Yanar (Water Also Burns, 1987), which concerned a director attempting to make a film about the life of controversial Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet
.
In 2000, Özgentürk directed Balalayka, which would go on to become a major box office hit in Turkey. The film ran into trouble early in its production when its original lead actor, Kemal Sunal
, died of a heart attack while boarding a plane to the film's location in Trabzon
. He was replaced in the part by the Turkish actor Uğur Yücel
.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. He was born in 1947 in Adana
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. After studying philosophy and sociology at Istanbul University, he became involved in theater, as an actor, director, and playwright. He founded Istanbul's first street theater troupe in 1968. He began working in the Turkish film industry in 1974 as a camera assistant, and eventually became an assistant and screenwriter for famous Turkish film directors such as Atif Yilmaz
Atif Yilmaz
Atıf Yılmaz Batıbeki was a renowned Turkish Kurdish film director, screenwriter and film producer. He was almost a legend in the film industry of Turkey with 119 movies directed. He also wrote 53 screenplays and produced 28 movies since 1951. He was active in almost every period of the Turkish...
and Yilmaz Guney
Yilmaz Güney
Yılmaz Güney, was a Kurdish film director, scenarist, novelist and actor from Turkey. Many of his works are devoted to the plight of ordinary, working class people in Turkey.- Biography :...
.
In 1977, Özgentürk wrote the screenplay for director Atıf Yılmaz
Atif Yilmaz
Atıf Yılmaz Batıbeki was a renowned Turkish Kurdish film director, screenwriter and film producer. He was almost a legend in the film industry of Turkey with 119 movies directed. He also wrote 53 screenplays and produced 28 movies since 1951. He was active in almost every period of the Turkish...
's film Selvi Boylum, Al Yazmalım (The Girl with the Red Scarf), which would go on to become a major hit in Turkey. In 1979, Özgentürk directed his first feature, Hazal, which he co-wrote with Onat Kutlar. The film won awards at the Mannheim Film Festival
International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival is an annual film festival held jointly by the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg. The festival was established in 1952. In Mannheim there are six cinema centres and 19 single cinemas.The festival presents arthouse films of...
, Prades Film Festival, and the Best New Director award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival
San Sebastián International Film Festival
The San Sebastián International Film Festival is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of San Sebastián .-History:The festival was founded in 1953...
. Ozgenturk followed it in 1982 with At (The Horse), which screened at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and won major awards at the Valencia Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival
Tokyo International Film Festival
Tokyo International Film Festival is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biannually from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter...
, which awarded it the Ozu Award, carrying a cash prize of $250,000. His third feature, 1985's Bekςi (The Guardian), an adaptation of Turkish novelist Orhan Kemal
Orhan Kemal
Orhan Kemal is the pen name of Turkish novelist Mehmet Raşit Öğütçü. He is known for his realist novels that tells the stories of the poor in Turkey....
's classic novel Murtaza, holds the distinction of being the first Turkish film to screen in competition at the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
.
Özgentürk courted controversy with his fourth film, Su da Yanar (Water Also Burns, 1987), which concerned a director attempting to make a film about the life of controversial Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet
Nazim Hikmet
Nâzım Hikmet Ran , commonly known as Nâzım Hikmet , was a Turkish poet, playwright, novelist and memoirist. He was acclaimed for the "lyrical flow of his statements"...
.
In 2000, Özgentürk directed Balalayka, which would go on to become a major box office hit in Turkey. The film ran into trouble early in its production when its original lead actor, Kemal Sunal
Kemal Sunal
Kemal Sunal was a master of comedy in the Turkish history of cinema. Famed for his parts as "İnek Şaban", "Tosun Paşa", "Kibar Feyzo", "Süt Kardeşler"...
, died of a heart attack while boarding a plane to the film's location in Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
. He was replaced in the part by the Turkish actor Uğur Yücel
Ugur Yücel
Uğur Yücel is a Turkish film actor, producer and director. He graduated from the Theater department at the Istanbul Municipality Conservatory . He took part in several plays between 1975 and 1984 in Kenter Tiyatosu , Tef Kaber Theatre, Dormen Theatre, and Şan Müzikholü...
.
Filmography
- At (The Horse)(1982)
- Bekci (The Guardian) (1985)
- Hazal (1979)
- Su da yanar (Water Also Burns) (1987)
- Ciplak (The Nude) (1991)
- Sir (1997)
- Mektup (1998)
- 2009 - The Crab GameThe Crab GameThe Crab Game is a 2009 Turkish drama film written and directed by Ali Özgentürk.- Plot :Asya is a research assistant working in the history department of a university in İstanbul. Taking her 5-year-old daughter with her, Asya embarks on a journey back to her hometown with the dream of starting...
Awards
- 1980 Prades Film Festival First Prize for Hazal
- 1980 Manheim Film Festival Golden Ducat Award for Hazal
- 1980 Mannheim Film Festival Ecumenical Jury Award for Hazal
- 1980 Mannheim Film Festival Audience Award for Hazal
- 1980 San Sebastian Film Festival Best New Director Award for Hazal
- 1982 Valencia Film Festival Second Place Prize for At (The Horse)
- 1983 São Paulo Film Festival Second Place Prize for At (The Horse)
- 1983 Lecce Film Festival Grand Prize for At (The Horse)
- 1985 Tokyo Film Festival Yasujiro Ozu Award for At (The Horse)
- 1986 Strasbourg Human Rights Film Festival Second Place Prize for Bekci (The Guardian)
- 1993 Antalya Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Ciplak (The Nude)