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Semih Kaplanoğlu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Semih Kaplanoğlu
Kaplanoğlu at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival 2010
Born (1963-04-04) 4 April 1963 (age 61)
İzmir, Turkey
OccupationScreenwriter, film director, film producer, columnist
NationalityTurkish
EducationCinema and television
Alma materDokuz Eylül University
Notable awardsAntalya Golden Orange Award for Best SCreenplay,
Bangkok World Film Prize for Best Director,
Valdivia International Film Prize for Best Director,
Singapore Silver Screen Award for Best Director
SpouseLeyla İpekçi

Semih Kaplanoğlu (born 4 April 1963) is a Turkish screenwriter, film director and producer.[1]

Life and career

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In 1984, Kaplanoğlu moved to Istanbul and worked for a couple of years as a copywriter for advertising companies like Güzel Sanatlar Saatchi & Saatchi and Young & Rubicam.[2]

He switched over to cinema in 1986 to become an assistant cameraman for two award-winning documentary films. In 1994 Kaplanoğlu wrote the script and directed a television series Şehnaz Tango with 52 episodes which was aired on TV channels Show TV and InterStar and became successful.[2]

Kaplanoğlu's debut feature Away From Home was awarded Best Director in Singapore IFF in 2001. His second feature Angel's Fall premiered in 2005 Berlinale Forum and received Best Film Award at Nantes, Kerala and Barcelona Alternativa film festivals.

Between 2005 and 2010 he produced and directed the Yusuf Trilogy. Yumurta (Egg), the first film in the trilogy premiered in Cannes and won Best Director awards in Fajr, Valdivia and Bangkok film festivals. The trilogy’s second film Süt (Milk) premiered in Venice IFF. Bal (Honey), the third part won the Golden Bear Award in 60th Berlinale IFF. His latest film Buğday (Grain) is currently in post-production.

His films are characterized by metaphysical themes and distinctively authored use of cinematography.

Kaplanoglu, who is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential directors in Turkish cinema [citation needed], has received 28 international awards and 10 nominations worldwide.

He was a jury member in 2013 Cannes Film Festival Cinefondation and Short Films. He also is member of the European Film Academy as well as Asia Pacific Screen Academy.

Besides his main pursuits in cinema, Semih Kaplanoğlu wrote articles between 1987 and 2003 on plastic arts and cinema which were published on arts periodicals and translated into foreign languages. In the years from 1996 through 2000, he had a column named "Karşılaşmalar" in the daily newspaper Radikal.[3]

Kaplanoğlu is noted for his support for the governing Justice and Development Party and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Kaplanoğlu's critics attributed the generous public funding his production company received in 2019 to his good relationship with the government.[4]

Family

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Kaplanoğlu is married to journalist, author and screenwriter Leyla İpekçi, who is a niece of the assassinated notable journalist Abdi İpekçi.[5] Between 2006 and 2013, Leyla İpekçi wrote for Zaman and Taraf, daily newspapers affiliated with the Gülen movement. At the time, Taraf and Zaman facilitated the movement's outreach to a broader public as they gained power in Turkey in illegal and extralegal ways. The Turkish government closed down both newspapers after the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, for which they held the Gülen movement responsible. Kaplanoğlu claimed that he, like others, was cheated by the Gülen movement.[6]

Filmography

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor
2001 Away from Home Yes
2005 Angel's Fall Yes Yes Yes Yes
2007 Egg Yes Yes Yes Yes
2008 Milk Yes Yes Yes
2010 Honey Yes Yes Yes Yes
2017 Grain Yes Yes Yes
2019 Commitment Yes
2021 Commitment Hasan Yes

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Semih Kaplanoğlu Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  2. ^ a b "Bala Altın Ayı". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2010-02-20. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  3. ^ İpekçi, Leyla (2007-11-03). "En yakın şahidi iki göz 'Yumurta'yı anlatıyor". Radikal (in Turkish). Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  4. ^ "Kültür Bakanlığı film desteklerinde aslan payı AKP'lilere" (in Turkish). Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  5. ^ "Bir Evden İki Kitap". Sabah (in Turkish). 2011-01-27. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  6. ^ "Eşi yıllarca FETÖ'cü Taraf'ta ve Zaman'da yazan Semih Kaplanoğlu Erdoğan'ı böyle eleştirdi". 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
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Awards
Preceded by Golden Orange Award
for Best Screenplay

2007 for Yumurta
shared with Orçun Köksal
Succeeded by