Ertem Eğilmez

Ertem Eğilmez was born on February 18, 1929, in Trabzon. He is a legendary director, producer, and screenwriter who changed the course of Turkish cinema, leaving his mark on Yeşilçam (the Turkish film industry) with his "Arzu Film school," and captivating millions with films that both amused and moved audiences to tears.

After graduating from Istanbul University's Faculty of Economics, Eğilmez worked in various trades, including running a grocery store. His entry into the art world began in 1954 with the founding of Çağlayan Publishing House with Refik Erduran. Here, he introduced innovation to the publishing world by printing Türkiye's first popular pocket books. His passion for cinema led him to producing with the film "Avare Mustafa" in 1961 and directing with "Fatoş'un Fendi Tayfur'u Yendi" in 1964.

However, the real step that would make Ertem Eğilmez a legend was the founding of Arzu Film with Nahit Ataman in 1964. Arzu Film quickly became one of the most important production companies in Turkish cinema. Especially in the 1970s, Eğilmez created a "cinema family" with a loyal cast of actors around him. Names like Münir Özkul, Adile Naşit, Kemal Sunal, Tarık Akan, Halit Akçatepe, Şener Şen, Ayşen Gruda, Zeki Alasya, and Metin Akpınar became the cornerstones of this family.