1931- 1950 PERIOD

1931- Muhsin Ertugrul's Istanbul Sokaklarinda (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 Atif Kaptan, Ferdi Tayfur, Mahmut Morali, Hadi Gün, Hazim Körmükçü, Sait Köknar, Ercüment Behzat Lav, Bir Millet Uyaniyor (A Nation Awakens), another War of Independence epic, becomes Muhsin Ertugrul'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 (Atif Kaptan) becomes a popular figure through his part (Captain Yahya) in the film.

While Ertugrul goes on completing Kaçakçilar (The Smugglers), Ipek 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 " .

1933- 4 feature films and 3 short ones are produced. 1933 is the year devoted mostly to operettas and vaudevilles. Muhsin Ertugrul directs Karim Beni Aldatirsa (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 Nâzim Hikmet Ran who had authored several screenplays under the penname of Mümtaz Osman, Ertugrul signs also Cici Berber (The Nice Barber). Nâzim Hikmet directs a short feature, Dügün Gecesi / Kanli Nigâr (The Weding Night / Bloody Nigâr) and actor Hazim Körmükçü signs another short Yeni Karagöz (The New Karagöz).

1934- A new producing company, "Ha-Ka (Halil Kamil) Films" is founded. Muhsin Ertugrul directs Milyon Avcilari (The Million Hunters) and Leblebici Horhor Aga while Nâzim Hikmet gives another short work with Istanbul Senfoni (The Symphony of Istanbul). The remake of Leblebici Horhor Aga 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 Batakli Damin Kizi Aysel (Aysel, the Girl from the Swampy Roof) Ertugrul 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.

1939- From 1916 to 1939 the Turkish cinema remains under the strong domination of theatrical personalities, including Muhsin Ertugrul. In 1939 a new director enters the field, Faruk Kenç, who directs Tas Parçasi (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 Ertugrul 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 Ertugrul's Sehvet Kurbani (Victim of Lust) and Kenç's first action thriller Yilmaz Ali (The Indomitable Ali), starts a line of handsome and typical "jeune premier".

1942-While 1941 ends with only one feature film produced, Muhsin Ertugrul's "Kahveci Güzeli" (The Handsome Coffee-seller) brings out four releases, one (Kiskanç / The Jealous one) directed by Ertugrul and the remaining three by Adolf Körner, a former Czechoslovakien entertainer. For "Ha-Ka Film" Körner directs three features in a row: Duvaksiz Gelin (The Unveiled Bride), Sürtük (The Trollop) and Kerem ile Asli (Kerem and Asli). 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 Dügünde (Nasrettin Hodja at The Wedding), started in 1940 by Ertugrul 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 Pinar (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 Pinar then goes on to direct his first feature, Deniz Kizi (The Mermaid).

1945- Kenç, who has formed his own company "Istanbul 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: Sadan Kamil, who had graduated in photography in Germany, signs Onüç Kahraman (13 Heroes), Talat Artemel and Refik Arduman, both from the City Theater (Istanbul), give respectively Hürriyet Apartmani (Freedom Apartment) and Köroglu.

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

Another non-theatrical actor, Sadri Alisik joins the cast of Faruk Kenç's Günahsizlar (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), Ihsan Ipekçi (Ipek Film), Turgut Demirag (And Film), Fuat Rutkay (Halk Film), Necip Erses (Ses Film), Murat Köseoglu (Atlas Film), Refik Kemal Arduman (Ankara Film), Iskender Necef (Birlik Film), Hikmet Aydin (Sark 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 Bagda 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 Kilibiklar (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 Ertugrul 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.

Among the new directors of the year the only one to gain some attention is Turgut Demirag who, devoid of any theatrical background, had been formed in Hollywood. Adapted from a novel by Resat Nuri Güntekin, Demirag's Bir Dag Masali (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 Findikyan's "Isik Film" and Sabahattin Tulgar's "Milli Film". Sami Ayanoglu and Kadri Ögelman, both coming from the ranks of Muhsin Ertugrul, directs their first films, Harmankaya and Kahraman Mehmet (The Heroic Mehmet). And two non-theatrical directors enters the cinema: Sakir Sirmali 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 Sir (Forgoten Secret), directed by Sakir Sirmali.
- Second best picture: Bir Dag Masali (Tale of a Mountain), directed by Turgut Demirag.
- Best Director: Turgut Demirag for Bir Dag Masali (Tale of a Mountain).
- Best Photography: Kriton Ilyadis.
- Best Sound: Yorgo Ilyadis.
- Best actress: Nevin Aypar.
- Best actor: Kadri Erdogan.
- Best character actress: Cahide Sonku.
- Best character actor: Talat Artemel.
- Best screenplay: Turgut Demirag, for Bir Dag Masali (Tale of a Mountain).
- Best story: Resat Nuri Güntekin, for Bir Dag Masali (Tale of a Mountain)
- Best processing : Ses Film (Necip Erses) studio.
- Best editing: Özen Sermet.
- Best original song: Unutulan Sir (Forgoten Secret)
- Best art direction: Kadri Erdogan, for Yuvami Yikamazsin (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 (Çiglik/The Scream), Gülistan Güzey, Hümasah Hican, Orhon Murat Ariburnu, 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 Ertugrul and his pupils between 1922 and 1947 will go on for a while. Ertugrul's "inheritance" is carried by names such as Kadri Ögelman, Cahit Irgat, Avni Dilligil, Mümtaz Ener and, it the following years, by Sami Ayanoglu (1951), Kani Kipçak (1951), Talat Artemel (1952) and Suavi Tedü (1953).

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