Cinema of Turkey

Turkish cinema, or Türk sineması, is a major pillar of the nation's cultural identity. It provides entertainment to audiences within Turkey and to Turkish expatriates throughout Europe and the Balkans. Recently, Turkish films have also found success in the Arab world.

For much of the 20th century, the industry was famously known as Yeşilçam. This term translates to "Green Pine" in Turkish. It refers to Yeşilçam Street in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul. This area served as the central hub for actors, directors, and various film studios.

The history of film in the region began with the arrival of the Lumière Brothers' work. Their film, *L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat*, was shown in Constantinople in 1896.

Local production followed shortly after. The Manaki brothers produced the first film made in the country, titled *The Weavers*, in 1905. In 1914, director Fuat Uzkınay completed *Ayastefanos'taki Rus Abidesinin Yıkılışı*, which is the earliest surviving documentary made in present-day Turkey.

The transition to sound occurred later, with the first sound film, *Bir Millet Uyanıyor*, released in 1931.

Early film production was heavily influenced by traditional Turkish theater. Storytelling traditions included improvisation performers called Meddah, the *orta oyunu*, and shadow plays like Karagöz and Hacivat. As Western drama was incorporated through institutions like the Darülbedayi in 1914, actors often moved between the stage and the screen. Between 1923 and 1939, Muhsin Ertuğrul was the primary active director. He directed 29 films, frequently adapting plays, operettas, and foreign fiction for the screen.

Before the 1950s, the film market was dominated by large import companies. These firms, such as İpek Film and Kemal Film, focused on distributing films from the United States, France, Italy, and Germany. Because these companies owned their own theater chains, they could guarantee a return on their investments. To adapt to the end of the silent era, they established facilities like the Marmara Dubbing Studio in the early 1930s. They also developed a "regional system" (Bölge İşletmeleri) to manage distribution across seven key areas. These regions included Istanbul, İzmir, Ankara, Samsun, Adana, Erzurum, and Diyarbakır.

A massive shift occurred after World War II. In 1952, Turkey produced 49 films, which was more than all previous years combined. This led into the golden era of Yeşilçam, spanning from 1955 to 1975. During the 1960s, Turkey rose to become the world's fourth-largest film producer. By the start of the 1970s, annual production reached a benchmark of 300 films. This era was defined by iconic soundtrack songs and legendary stars.

Notable figures included directors like Ömer Lütfi Akad, Ertem Eğilmez, and Atıf Yılmaz.

However, the industry faced significant challenges in later decades. The rise of television and video, combined with political turmoil and economic crises, caused ticket sales to drop. In 1966, annual ticket sales peaked at 90 million. By 1984, this number fell to 56 million, and by 1990, it had plummeted to only 11 million.

The number of theaters also declined sharply, dropping from approximately 2,000 in 1966 to just 290 in 1990. During the 1990s, production slowed to between 10 and 15 films per year.

Since 1995, the Turkish film industry has seen a steady recovery. After the year 2000, annual ticket sales rose to 20 million, and the number of theaters increased to about 500 nationwide. Modern Turkish films frequently top blockbuster lists and often surpass foreign films at the box office.

While many films are now individual projects by directors who also work in advertising or television, the industry remains a powerful force. It continues to connect Turkish culture to a global audience through the art of cinema.