Masters of Turkish Cinema: Lütfi Akad

Masters of Turkish Cinema: Lütfi Akad 18 May–4 June 2017 Istanbul Modern Istanbul Modern Cinema, with contributions from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's General Directorate of Cinema, has launched a new project titled "Masters of Turkish Cinema." The first subject of this series, dedicated to the founding directors of Turkish cinema, is Lütfi Akad, who inscribed his name in cinema history as a "self-taught master" and pioneer of the period known as the "Filmmakers Era." An archival exhibition examining Akad's cinema, which reflects the history of Turkish cinema through his 95-year life and filmography and commemorates his centennial, brings together 100 pieces of archival material including previously unpublished set photographs, film stills, original screenplays and posters from his filmography. This visual material is narrated through the director's own words. Akad's writings and interviews, in which his observational eye is evident not only in his films but also in his memoirs, shed light on the birth and conditions of Yeşilçam and serve as the narrator of this exhibition. In parallel with the exhibition, a 10-film program presented between 19–29 May features prominent films from Akad's filmography, ranging from his first film shot in 1949, Vurun Kahpeye, to Four Seasons Istanbul, a documentary he directed for the last time in 1990 and which has long been considered lost. Curator:Müge Turan Advisor:Burçak Evren