Atıf Yılmaz


Atıf Yılmaz Batıbeki was a renowned Turkish 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 film industry.

Early life

Atıf Yılmaz was born on 9 December 1925 in Mersin, Turkey to a Kurdish family originally from Palu. After finishing the high school in Mersin, he attended the Law School of Istanbul University. Because of his interest in arts, he dropped out the Law School and entered the Painting Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Istanbul. After graduating from the Academy, he did some painting works in workshops. His education of painting helped him directing his movies as he remarked lately.

Film career

In the beginnings, he worked as a film critic, made some paintings and wrote film scripts to earn a living. After co-directing two movies as an assistant director to Semih Evin in 1950, his directing career began with the film Kanlı Feryat. In 1960, he established his film company "Yerli Film" with the actor Orhan Günşıray.
The most important movies in his filmography were: Hıçkırık, Alageyik, Suçlu, Seni Kaybedersem, Yaban Gülü, Keşanlı Ali Destanı, Taçsız Kral, Toprağın Kanı, Ölüm Tarlası, Utanç, Zavallılar, Selvi Boylum, Al Yazmalım, Baskin, Adak, Bir Yudum Sevgi, Adı Vasfiye, Berdel, Düş Gezginleri, Eylül Fırtınası and Mine.
He made movies both fluent and the ones with mainly social messages. Most of the theme of his movies were taboo in the days they have been taken. Particularly "Mine" and "Her Name is Vasfiye" were revolutions that time with their issue on the sexuality and the reaction of the society.
He never gave up making movies throughout his life, and even in the time when the industry stopped filmmaking due to economic reasons.
Atıf Yılmaz played an important role in the professional career of notable Turkish film directors like Halit Refiğ, Yılmaz Güney, Şerif Gören, Zeki Ökten and Ali Özgentürk.
During the Antalya Film Festival in September 2005, he was admitted to hospital with gastro-intestinal complaints. He died on 5 May 2006 in Istanbul.

Filmography

Director

Prizes