Cahide Sonku (1919-1981) 

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Cahide Sonku, the first female director of Turkish cinema, came to life in Yemen in 1916. Sonku, who studied at Cumhuriyet Private School, later entered the Istanbul Municipality Conservatory. Sonku, who started acting in the city theater in 1932, took part in the movie "Söz Bir, Allah Bir", shot by Muhsin Ertuğrul in 1933. Sonku's fame in the industry increased when he started to act in the films of Muhsin Ertuğrul, the most important director of the period. He took part in his first village movie, "Bataklı Damın Kızı Aysel" (1934). The scarf worn by Sonku in this movie became a fashion icon at that time. After this movie, Cahide Sonku was known as Turkey's first female star. In the following years, respectively, "Lust Victim" (1940), "Akasya Palas" (1940) and "Jealous" (1942). appeared in movies. In 1948, she received the "Most Successful Actress" award in the local film competition organized by the Local Filmmakers Society. Sonku, who founded his own production company in 1950, produced the movie "Kahpenin Kızı" in 1952. Sonku, who starred in the movie "Çalıkuşu" in 1966, which featured many famous actors of the period, left acting in the movie "Yeşilçam Sokak", shot in 1977. Sonku appeared in nearly 40 films throughout his acting career. 

Before starting to direct, Cahide Sonku had her first assistant experience in the movie "Fedakar Ana" directed by Seyfi Havaeri in 1949. In 1951, he shot the movie "Vatan ve Namık Kemal", which he both directed and produced. He directed this film together with Talat Arkaynak and Sami Ayanoğlu. In 1953, he directed the movie "Expected Song", starring Zeki Müren, together with Orhan Murat Arıburnu and Sami Ayanoğlu. This film, which broke the box office records of the period, earned 1.5 million liras in revenue. However, due to the big fire at Sonku Film Production company, most of this income was spent on expenses. In 1956, he shot the movie "Büyük Sır", for which he wrote the script and directed together with Talat Arkaynak. Sonku also appeared as a leading actor in the films he directed. He won the Cinema Writers Association Special Award in 1979. Discussions about the films directed by Cahide Sonku continue among Turkish cinema historians. Although it is said that Sonku did not direct some films and only took part as an actor and producer, Öztürk's "Feminine Face of Cinema is Female Directors in Turkey"  In his book, it is stated that the films "Vatan ve Namık Kemal" (1951), "Expected Song" (1953) and "Büyük Sır" (1956) were directed by Cahide Sonku.  

 

Screenwriter Filmography

Vatan and Namık Kemal, 1951, Director: Talat Arkaynak, Sami Ayanoğlu, Cahide Sonku, Screenplay: Cahide Sonku, Talat Arkaynak, Münir Hayri Egeli, Director of photography: Kriton İlyadis, Music: Ferit Alnar, Pala Morelli, Actors: Cahide Sonku, Cüneyt Gökçer, Muazzez Lutas, Sami Ayanoğlu, Talat Arsosyal, Refia Rez, Pala Morelli, İbrahim Delideniz, Mümtaz Ener, Cahit Irgat, Sadri Alışık, Celal Balkır, Ercüment Behzat Lav, Bülent Oran, Münir Özkul, Demir, Aşuroğlu, Producer: Cahide Sonku .

 

Producer Filmography 

Fedakar Ana, 1949, Director: Seyfi Havaeri, Screenplay: Seyfi Havaeri (adapted from Tahir Olgaç's "That's Like Ömer"), Director of photography: Cezmi Ar, Actors: Cahide Sonku, Şaziye Moral, Necla Sertel, Hüseyin Kemal, Reşit Gürzap, Mümtaz Ener, Lebibe Çakın, Renan Fosforoğlu, Refet Gülerman, Viktorya Haçikyan, Muazzez Arçay, Muzaffer Hepgüler, Esen Gökmen, Ferdi Merter, Producer: Güneş F. Sırrı Talpar-Cahide Sonku.

Vatan and Namık Kemal, 1951, Director: Talat Arkaynak, Sami Ayanoğlu, Cahide Sonku, Screenplay: Cahide Sonku, Talat Armeden, Münir Hayri Egeli, Director of photography: Kriton İlyadis, Music: Ferit Alnar, Pala Morelli (On the Way to Üsküdar), Cast: Cahide Sonku, Cüneyt Gökçer, Muazzez Lutas, Sami Ayanoğlu, Talat Armerkez, Refia Rez, Pala Morelli, İbrahim Delideniz, Mümtaz Ener, Cahit Irgat, Sadri Alışık, Celal Balkır, Ercüment Behzat Lav, Bülent Oran, Münir Ozkul, Demir, Aşuroğlu, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

Güldağlı Cemile, 1951, Director: Mümtaz Ener, Screenwriter: Mahir Otkun, Director of photography: Manasi Filmeridis, Actors: Bomba, Ayçe Selika, Halit Akçatepe, Orhan Elmas, Nezahat Dilligil and Black Sea National Games Team, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

The Man Who Paid for His Sins, 1952, Director and Screenwriter: C. Y. Kostanof, Director of Photography: Lazar Yazıcıoğlu, Kriton İlyadis, Actors: İsa Yelda, Muzaffer Tema, Talat Ar Temel Producer: Cahide Sonku.

Kahbenin Daughter, 1952, Director: Kani S. Kıpçak Perihan Tedü, Director of photography: Kriton İlyadis, Music: Kadri Şençalar, Music: Ahmet Ustün, Muhip Arcıman, Actors: Gülistan Güzey, Hüseyin Kemal Gürman, Talat Arsosyal, Kani Kıpçak, Abdurrahman Palay , Refik Kemal Arduman, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

Expected Song, 1953, Director: Orhon M. Arıburnu, Sami Ayanoğlu, Cahide Sonku, Screenplay: Sadık Şendil, Director of photography: Kriton İlyadis, Music: Sadi Işılay, Actors: Zeki Müren, Cahide Sonku, Bedia Muvahhit, Talat Arsosyal, Sami Ayanoğlu , Hadi Hün, Jeyan M. Ayral, Melahat İçli, Abdurrahman Palay, Necmi Oy, İbrahim Delideniz, Muhip Arcıman, Refik Kemal Arduman, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

Bozkurt Obası, 1954, Director and Screenwriter: Sami Ayanoğlu, Director of photography: Cezmi Ar, Actors: Orhon M. Arıburnu, Neşe Yulaç, Atıf Kaptan, Aliye Rona, Behzat Butak, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

The First and the Last, 1955, Director: Atıf Yılmaz, Screenplay: Esat Mahmut Karakurt, Atıf Yılmaz, Sadık Şendil, Director of Photography: Mike Rafaelyan, Actors: Cahide Sonku, Şaziye Moral, Nuri Altınok, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

Büyük Sır, 1956, Director: Talat Ar Temel, Screenplay: Sadık Şendil, Director of photography: İlhan Arakon, Cast: Cahide Sonku, Cahit Irgat, Cüneyt Gökçer, Şeref Gürsoy, Kenan Pars, Şaziye Moral, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

Kara Çalı, 1956, Director and Screenwriter: Sami Ayanoğlu (adapted from a story by Yaşar Kemal and Erksine Caldwell's novel "HouseintheUplands"), Actors: Nedret Güvenç, Suavi Tedü, Cahit Irgat, Şaziye Moral, Salih Tozan, Ibrahim Delideniz , Nezahat Tanyeli, Ayten Güvenç, Producer: Cahide Sonku.

 

Awards: 

Homeland and Namık Kemal (1951)

Yıldız Magazine (1951) “Best Film”, “Best Actress” (Cahide Sonku)

Cinema Writers Association (1979) “Special Award” (Cahide Sonku)

 

Source

Evren, M. Burçak. (2014). 100 Years of Turkish Cinema. T.R. Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Özgüç, Agâh. (1994). Turkish Film Directors Dictionary. Istanbul: Afa Publications.

Özgüç, Agâh. (2008). Women of Turkish Cinema. Istanbul: Agora Library.

Özgüç, Agâh. (2012). Encyclopedic Dictionary of Turkish Movies. Istanbul: Horizon International.

Öztürk, S. Ruken. (2004). The “Feminine” Face of Cinema: Female Directors in Turkey. Istanbul: Om Publishing House. 

Scognamillo, Giovanni. (2003). Turkish Cinema History. Istanbul: Kabalcı Publications.