Halit Refiğ (5 March 1934 – 11 October 2009) was a Turkish

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

, film producer,

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

and writer. He made around sixty films, including

feature film A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (Film, motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole present ...

documentaries A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". The American author and media analyst Bill ...

and TV serials. He is considered to be the pioneer of the National Cinema movement and the initiator of the production of TV serials in Turkey.

Biography

Halit Refiğ graduated from Şişli Terakki High School in 1951 and studied engineering at Robert College in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

. Refiğ directed his first films in 8mm while he served as a military reserve officer in

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

and

Ceylon Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

. He wrote articles on cinema at newspapers in 1956 and published the ''Sinema Dergisi'' magazine together with Nijat Özön. He began his career as Atıf Yılmaz's assistant in 1957 together with Yılmaz Güney. He worked as scriptwriter for Atıf Yılmaz and Memduh Ün. His directorial debut was ''Forbidden Love (Yasak Aşk)'' (1961). His 1962 film '' Stranger in the City'' was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival. In the 1970s, with the decline in Turkish cinema, he started to work extensively for TV. In 1974, he contributed as an instructor to the first cinema education programs initiated by the Istanbul State Fine Arts Academy (the

Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (, or MSGSÜ) is a public art university in Istanbul, Turkey. The university's campus is located in the Fındıklı, Beyoğlu. The university was established in 1882 under the leadership of Osman Hamdi Bey. Hi ...

of today) where he started to work as lecturer in 1975. In 1975, he directed the

TV series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...

''Aşk-ı Memnu (Forbidden Love)'' which was aired on the Turkish Radio Television, TRT. This TV serial is considered to be the first

miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

on Turkish television stations. In 1978, he wrote a script for a documentary about the life of

Mimar Sinan Mimar Sinan (; , ; – 17 July 1588) also known as Koca Mi'mâr Sinân Âğâ, ("Sinan Agha (title), Agha the Grand Architect" or "Grand Sinan") was the chief Ottoman Empire, Ottoman architect, engineer and mathematician for sultans Suleiman ...

on commission from the Mimar Sinan University. The project was not completed but the script was published. In 1999, on commission from the then Prime Minister

Bülent Ecevit Mustafa Bülent Ecevit (; 28 May 1925 – 5 November 2006) was a Turkish politician, statesman, poet, writer, scholar, and journalist. He served as the Prime Minister of Turkey four times between 1974 and 2002. He served as prime minister in 197 ...

, he began developing a

project titled ''Devlet Ana (Mother State)'', to be released on the 700th anniversary of the establishment of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. The project was going to be conducted in collaboration with the Mimar Sinan University (MSU). In 2001, Refiğ stated that he would not collaborate with MSU and thus the project was not realized. Refiğ was one of the contributors of the conservative magazine '' Hareket''.

Censorship

Refiğ's 1979-81 adaptation of Kemal Tahir's novel, ''Yorgun Savaşçı'', for TRT, where he served as an advisor, was banned from broadcast by TRT on accounts of incorporating scenes which were anti- Atatürk, anti- Turkish Independence War, and pro-

Çerkes Ethem Çerkes Ethem (1886 – 21 September 1948 ''also known as'' Psheu Ethem; ''Adyghe language'': Пщэу Iэтэм), known in English as Edhem the Circassian, was a Circassians, Circassian Ottoman Empire, Ottoman guerilla leader, Social banditry, s ...

. A commission of seven people comprising three colonels, a representative of the Ministry of Interior, a representative of the press office of the Prime Minister, two TRT representatives, and Turgut Özakman, the director of the Turkish State Theatres, representing the Ministry of Culture, was formed on order from President Kenan Evren and Prime Minister Bülent Ulusu and the prints were burnt in 1983 by TRT director Macit Akman, at the furnaces of the

Turkish General Staff The General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri Genelkurmay Başkanlığı'', ''abbreviation: TSK Gnkur. Bşk.lığı'') is the highest staff organization in the Turkish Armed Forces. Chief ...

printhouse under the supervision of the said commission. This

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governmen ...

caused public controversy. A surviving copy surfaced in 1993 and the 8-episode miniseries was broadcast in its entirety on TRT.

Academic life

He lectured at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

in 1976, where he directed ''The Intercessors'', and at

Denison University Denison University is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio, United States. One of the earliest colleges established in the former Northwest Territory, Denison University was founded in 1831. It was first called ...

in Ohio in 1984, where he shot ''In the Wilderness'' with his students. He was given the title of "Honorary Professor" by Marmara University in 1997.

Death

He suffered from cholangiocarcinoma and died on 11 October 2009 in Istanbul, aged 75. He was interred in the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery two days later, following the funeral service held at

Teşvikiye Mosque The Teşvikiye Mosque () is a neo-baroque structure located in the Teşvikiye neighbourhood of Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. History The mosque was originally commissioned in 1794 by Sultan Selim III, but most of the current mosque t ...

Filmography as director

* (1961) * (1961) * '' Şehirdeki Yabancı'' (1962) * '' Gençlik Hülyaları'' (1962) * '' Şafak Bekçileri'' (1963) * '' Gurbet Kuşları'' (1964) * '' Şehrazat'' (1964) * '' Evcilik Oyunu'' (1964) * '' İstanbul'un Kızları'' (1964) * '' Canım Sana Feda'' (1965) * '' Güneşe Giden Yol'' (1965) * (1965) * '' Kırık Hayatlar'' (1965) * '' Erkek Ve Dişi'' (1966) * '' Üç Korkusuz Arkadaş'' (1966) * '' Karakolda Ayna Var'' (1966) * '' Can Yoldaşları'' (1966) * '' Kız Kolunda Damga Var'' (1967) * '' Bir Türk'e Gönül Verdim'' (1969) * '' Yaşamak Ne Güzel Şey'' (1969) * '' Adsız Cengaver'' (1970) * '' Sevmek Ve Ölmek Zamanı'' (1971) * '' Ali Cengiz Oyunu'' (1971) * '' Çöl Kartalı'' (1972) * '' Acı Zafer'' (1972) * '' Aşk Fırtınası'' (1972) * '' Fatma Bacı'' (1972) * '' Kızın Varmı Derdin Var'' (1973) * '' Cennetin Kapısı'' (1973) * '' Sultan Gelin'' (1973) * '' Vurun Kahpeye'' (1973) * '' Yedi Evlat İki Damat'' (1973) * '' Aşk-ı Memnu'' (1975) (TV) * '' Arabulucular'' (1977) * '' Yaşam Kavgası'' (1978) * '' Yorgun Savaşçı'' (1979) (TV) * '' Leyla İle Mecnun'' (1982) * '' O Kadın'' (1982) * '' Beyaz Ölüm'' (1983) * '' İhtiras Fırtınası'' (1983) * '' Alev Alev'' (1984) * '' Ölüm Yolu'' (1985) * '' Paramparça'' (1985) * '' Son Darbe'' (1985) * '' Kıskıvrak'' (1986) * '' Teyzem'' (1986) * '' Yarın Ağlayacağım'' (1986) * '' Kızımın Kanı'' (1987) * '' Kurtar Beni'' (1987) * '' Kızım Ve Ben'' (1988) * '' Hanım'' (1988) * '' Karılar Koğuşu'' (1989) * '' İki Yabancı'' (1990) * '' Zirvedekiler'' (1993) (TV) * '' Köpekler Adası'' (1996) * '' Affet Bizi Hocam'' (1998) (TV) * '' Kerem'' (1999) * '' Affet Beni Hocam'' (2000) * '' Zeynep Öğretmen'' (2000) (TV) * '' Gelinlik Kız'' (2000) * '' Sara ile Musa'' (2000) (TV) * '' Midasın Düşü'' (2000) (TV) * '' Gençlik'' (2000)

Producer

* ''Yaşamak Hakkımdır'' 1958 * ''İstanbul'un Kızları'' 1964 * ''Canım Sana Feda'' 1965 * ''İki Yabancı'' 1990

Screenwriter

References

External links

Biography of Halit Refiğ
*

Bibliography

Published screenplays

*Refiğ, Halit. (2009). ''Puşkin Erzurumda''. Dergah Yayınları, Sinema İletişim Dizisi, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit. (2009). ''Koca Sinan''. Dergah Yayınları, Sinema İletişim Dizisi, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit. (2009). ''Şeytan Aldatması''. Alfa Basım Yayım Dağıtım, Senaryo Dizisi, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit. (2009). ''Gazi ile Latife: Mustafa Kemal'in Yaşamından Bir Kesit''. Alfa Basım Yayım Dağıtım, Senaryo Dizisi, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit. (2006). '' Aşk ve Ölüm Senaryoları''. Doğan Kitapçılık, İstanbul.

Non-fiction (memoirs, essays)

*Refiğ, Halit; eds. Gültekin, D. Ali; Zileli, Irmak. (2009). ''Doğruyu Aradım Güzeli Sevdim''. Bizim Kitaplar Yayınevi, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit; ed. Gültekin, D. Ali. (2007). ''Tek Umut Türkiye''. Bizim Kitaplar Yayınevi, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit & Hristidis, Şengün Kılıç. (2007). ''Sinemada Ulusal Tavır''. Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit. (2002). '' Doğu Batı ve Türkiye 10 Yılda Nereden Başladık? Nereye Geldik?''. Ufuk Kitapları, İstanbul. *Refiğ, Halit. (2000). ''Gerçeğin Değişkenliği Kemal Tahir''. Ufuk Kitapları, İstanbul.