Museum sheds light on Turkish cinema, theater history

The Türker İnanoğlu Foundation (TÜRVAK) Cinema-Theater Museum, established in 2000 with the 60-year accumulation of veteran director Türker İnanoğlu, sheds light on over 100 years of Turkish cinema and theater. 

The activity coordinator of the museum in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district, İlke Yılmaz, said the museum in the Erler Film building was Turkey's one and only cinema museum. 

"When İnanoğlu first said he would establish a museum in 2000, many cinema and theater artists donated items from their own archive to the museum. So İnanoğlu established the theater section a year later in order to show gratitude," Yılmaz said.

Significant names from Turkish cinema including Necdet Mahfi Ayral, Selçuk Uraz, Handan Uran Ertuğrul, Fatma Andaç and Deniz Uyguner donated their archive on the establishment of the museum, while Kadri Yurdatap also made great contributions to the museum. Posters were also collected from various auctions, while cameras, film projection tools and other items from the Fono Film and Lale Film companies also took their place in the museum. 

"Our goal is to show the young generations all reflections of Turkish cinema since 1914, when it first appeared," said Yılmaz. 

She noted that the Sohban Koloğlu Sculpture Hall in the museum was the most popular section for visitors. 
"We have bee wax sculptures of actors like Adile Naşit, Kemal Sunal, Cilalı İbo and Sadri Alışık, as well directors including Atıf Yılmaz and Osman Seden. They draw most interest from children. University students, especially from communications faculties, also come to visit us, as they are interested in recording tools, editing benches and microphones," Yılmaz said. 

The camera used to shoot the first sound film in Turkish cinema,...

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