Zeki Ökten (4 August 1941 – 19 December 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 ...

Biography

He was born on 4 August 1941 in Istanbul. Zeki Ökten was interested in theatre during his education at the Haydarpaşa High School. He entered his filmmaking career in 1961 as the

assistant director The role of an assistant director (AD) on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have ...

of Nişan Hançer directing ''Acı Zeytin''. Zeki Ökten directed his first film ''Ölüm Pazarı'' two years later in 1963. However, he stepped back to the post of assistant director as the success expected did not come. He worked then nine years long as the assistant to the renowned directors like Ömer Lütfi Akad,

Halit Refiğ Halit Refiğ (5 March 1934 – 11 October 2009) was a Turkish film director, film producer, screenwriter and writer. He made around sixty films, including feature films, documentaries and TV serials. He is considered to be the pioneer of th ...

, Memduh Ün and Atıf Yılmaz. With his films ''Kadın Yapar'' in 1972 and with ''Bir Demet Menekşe'' in 1973, written by Selim İleri, he gained recognition. He was honored at the Golden Orange Film Festival in 1977 for directing the film Kapıcılar Kralı. Real success came with the films ''Sürü'' (1978) and '' Düşman'' (1979), both written by Yılmaz Güney. ''Düşman'' won an Honourable Mention at the

30th Berlin International Film Festival The 30th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 18–29 February 1980. The Golden Bear was jointly awarded to '' Heartland'', directed by Richard Pearce, and '' Palermo or Wolfsburg'', directed by Werner Schroeter. The retros ...

in 1980. The film ''Sürü'' received nine more international awards, following the honors at the festivals in

Locarno Locarno (; ; Ticinese dialect, Ticinese: ; formerly in ) is a southern Switzerland, Swiss List of towns in Switzerland, town and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district Locarno (district), Locarno (of which it is the capita ...

1979 and at

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

in 1980. Zeki Ökten received his second Golden Orange award in 1983 for directing the film ''Faize Hücum''. His 1984 film '' Pehlivan'' won an Honourable Mention at the 35th Berlin International Film Festival. The themes of his films were social problems featured in comedy. Zeki Ökten died on 19 December 2009, following heart surgery for which he was admitted the day before to the American Hospital in Istanbul. He was laid to rest at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery two days later following a religious funeral ceremony held at the

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 ...

. Zeki Ökten is succeeded by his wife Güler Ökten, a well-known Turkish actress.

Filmography

* ''Ölüm Pazari'' (1963) * ''Vurgun'' (1973) * ''Ağri Dağinin Gazabi'' (1973) * ''Bir Demet Menekse'' (1973) ... a.k.a. ''A Bunch of Violets'' (International: English title) * ''Hasret'' (1974) ... a.k.a. ''Yearning'' (International: English title) * ''Boş Ver Arkadaş'' (1974) * ''Askerin Dönüşü'' (1974) * ''Şaşkın Damat'' (1975) * ''Kaynanalar'' (1975) ... a.k.a. ''The Mothers-in-law'' (International: English title) * ''Hanzo'' (1975) * ''Kapıcılar Kralı'' (1976) * ''Sevgili Dayım'' (1977) * ''Çöpçüler Kralı'' (1977) ... a.k.a. ''The King of the Street Cleaners'' (International: English title) * '' Düşman'' (1979) ... a.k.a. ''The Enemy'' (International: English title) * ''Almanya, Acı Vatan'' (1979) * ''

Sürü ''The Herd'' () is a 1978 Turkish drama film, written, produced and co-directed by Yılmaz Güney with Zeki Ökten during Güney's second imprisonment, featuring Tarık Akan as a peasant, forced by a local blood feud to sell his sheep in faraway ...

'' (1979) ... a.k.a. ''The Herd'' (USA) * ''Faize Hücum'' (1982) * ''Derman'' (1983) * '' Pehlivan'' (1984) * ''Firar'' (1984) * ''Kurbağalar'' (1985) * ''Ses'' (1986) * ''Kan'' (1986) * ''Davacı'' (1986) * ''Düttürü Dünya'' (1988) * "''Saygilar Bizden''" (1992) TV series * ''Aşk Üzerine Söylenmemiş Herşey'' (1996) * ''Güle Güle'' (2000) * ''Gülüm ''(2003) * ''Çinliler Geliyor'' (2006) ... a.k.a. ''The Chinese Are Coming'' (International: English title: literal title)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Okten, Zeki 1941 births Film people from Istanbul 2009 deaths Turkish film directors Best Director Golden Orange Award winners Haydarpaşa High School alumni Burials at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery