“I was a timid feminist, but … I saw clearly that women were being oppressed, exploited, and excluded from the public sphere. It was not capitalism that was doing this; it was male dominance.”
—Şirin Tekeli (1944–2017), academic, writer, and feminist activist in Türkiye.
By Ercument Akman
Women in Early Turkish Cinema
Cinema has long been a powerful medium, shaping and reflecting society. While feminist film theory1 is a relatively modern discourse, the portrayal of women in cinema, especially during the silent film era (1890s–1920s), has played a crucial role in shaping public perceptions.
The advent of cinema in Türkiye dates to 1897, during Sultan Abdulhamid II’s reign. The Manaki Brothers,2 born in Ottoman Manastır, made the first known film in the Ottoman and Balkan regions, a short documentary, Weavers (1905), featuring their 104-year-old grandmother, Despina Hanım.
During the Ottoman Empire’s westernization period, staged performances gained popularity, yet Muslim women were prohibited from acting. Consequently, Armenian actresses played a pivotal role in early Turkish cinema. The 1908 Constitutional Era granted increased freedoms, allowing women to participate more actively in the arts, yet challenges persisted—exemplified by the removal of Afife Jale, a trailblazing Muslim female actor, from the stage in 1920.
The First Female Stars of Turkish Cinema
Bedia Muvahhit: A Trailblazer
Bedia Muvahhit was among the earliest Turkish actresses, starring in landmark silent films that shaped the industry’s foundation.
The Claw (Pençe) (1917) – Starring Eliza Binemeciyan3 and featuring Bedia Muvahhit in a supporting role, this film tackled themes of marriage, infidelity, and societal expectations of women.
The Spy (Casus) (1917) – One of Türkiye’s first feature-length films, directed by Sedat Simavi, who later founded Hürriyet newspaper. This early espionage thriller depicted a female character navigating a world of political intrigue.
Governess (Mürebbiye) (1919) – Featuring a bold and unconventional female lead, this controversial film critiqued class dynamics and was censored by French officials during Istanbul’s occupation. A significant film that featured the first kissing scene.
Binnaz (1919) – The oldest surviving Turkish feature film,4 adapted from Victor Hugo’s Marion de Lorme, centering on a courtesan’s emotional struggles and the intricacies of female relationships. The cast included Mlle. Blanche, Rana Dilberyan, and Eliza Binemeciyan. It is also important as one of the first films in the history of Turkish cinema to contain themes based on women’s relationships, along with Governess (Mürebbiye).
A Love Tragedy in Istanbul (İstanbul’da Bir Facia-i Aşk) (1922) – Inspired by a real-life murder case, this film captivated audiences with its dramatic narrative and was among the first Turkish films to achieve international distribution. The female lead was Anna Mariewitz, a young and beautiful Romanian Odessa immigrant. The rest of the female cast consisted of Siranuş Aleksanyan, Liane Console, Roza Felekyan, Mademoiselle Roza, Mademoiselle Blanche, and Madame Panayota.
The film received great interest from the audience when released on November 20, 1922, in Ali Efendi and Kemal Bey cinemas located in the old Muslim neighborhoods. During the screening, music was played with piano accompaniment, as was done in Beyoğlu/Pera cinemas.
The Daughter of Smyrna (Ateşten Gömlek) (1923) – Based on Halide Edib Adıvar’s novel, this film marked a turning point as it was the first to feature Turkish Muslim actresses Bedia Muvahhit and Neyyire Neyir5 in lead roles. It portrayed the resilience of women during the Turkish War of Independence and premiered on April 23, 1923, with separate screenings for male and female audiences.
The movie was based on events during the Turkish War of Independence and marks a milestone in the cinema of Türkiye.
The husband and the little son of Ayşe are killed during the occupation of Izmir by Greek troops. Slightly wounded, Ayşe goes to Istanbul, to the home of her cousin Peyami. There, she meets Major İhsan, a friend of Peyami. They take part in protest rallies against the occupation of Izmir held at Sultanahmet Square. After the occupation of Istanbul, they joined the National Resistance. Both men, fall in love with Ayşe. This love turns into a “shirt of fire” (Ateşten Gömlek) for both. However, their love will not have a happy ending.
The movie was premiered on April 23, 1923, the third anniversary of Grand National Assembly of Türkiye’s foundation at Palas Sinema in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. It was shown to audience in two separate ticketed screenings for male and female audiences.
By the late 1920s, Ankara Postası (1928) was directed by Muhsin Ertugrul for his wife Neyyire Neyir as Necmiye Sultan who is the wife of a commander. When she arrives at Adapazari to meet her husband she meets with Kudret, a courier of Nationalist, and begins a forbidden love pushing cinematic boundaries with its themes of love, duty, and war.
Women in the Sound Era: Between Two Stereotypes
With the advent of sound films, Turkish cinema largely confined women to two dominant archetypes: the virtuous wife/mother and the alluring, rebellious femme fatale. The “four clovers” of Turkish cinema—Fatma Girik, Filiz Akın, Türkan Şoray, and Hülya Koçyiğit—became icons of strong yet traditional female roles in the 1970s and 1980s, while actresses like Neriman Köksal, Sevda Ferdağ, and Suzan Avcı embodied the independent, defiant woman as their counterpart.
The Rise of Female Filmmakers
By the 1960s, a new wave of female directors began challenging these clichés, forging a more diverse and authentic representation of women on screen. Pioneers such as Bilge Olgaç, Nuran Şener, and Türkan Şoray not only made their mark as directors but also influenced storytelling by introducing strong, multifaceted female protagonists. Their films tackled themes of family, oppression, and resilience, setting the stage for future generations of filmmakers.
The urbanization of the 1970s further expanded cinematic narratives, bringing themes of alienation, shifting gender roles, and modern womanhood to the forefront. As cities transformed, so did the lives of women depicted on screen, reflecting both societal struggles and personal triumphs.
In recent years, Turkish female directors have gained international recognition for their thought-provoking films that push boundaries and challenge norms include:
Yeşim Ustaoğlu (Waiting for the Clouds, Pandora’s Box) – known for her poetic storytelling and deeply emotional narratives.
Aslı Özge (Men on the Bridge, Lifelong) – blending documentary-style realism with cinematic artistry to explore urban life and relationships.
Pelin Esmer (10 to 11, Watchtower) – acclaimed for her unique perspective on isolation and human connection.
Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Mustang, Kings) – internationally recognized for her poignant portrayal of young women’s struggles against patriarchal constraints.
While commercial films reign in multiplexes, Turkish cinema is now 120 years old with more prominent representation of women in award-winning independent films by continuing to evolve, with a new generation of female directors crafting bold, socially conscious narratives that resonate both locally and globally.
See you at the movies. ■
For more articles on Turkish cinema, visit the oldest blog dedicated to the subject since 2006:
turkfilm.blogspot.com
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NOTES:
- “The magic of the Hollywood style at its best (and of all the cinema which fell within its sphere of influence) arose, not exclusively, but in one important aspect, from its skilled and satisfying manipulation of visual pleasure. Unchallenged, mainstream film coded the erotic into the language of the dominant patriarchal order.”
Mulvey, Laura “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” [Screen 16:3 (Autumn 1975), 6-18.] - Janaki Manaki (1878-1954) and Milton Manaki (1882-1964) were born in the Ottoman village of Avdela, near present-day Greece, where Macedonians of Vlach origin lived. Although Greek sources claim that the Manaki Brothers were Greek, Macedonians dispute this assumption and claim that the Manaki Brothers were Macedonians of Vlach origin.
Years later the documentary The Destruction of the Russian Monument in Ayastefanos, shot by Reserve Officer Fuat Uzkınay on November 14, 1914, was promoted as the first Turkish film for nationalistic reasons. - Eliza Binemeciyan (b. Istanbul, January 1.1890 – d. August 16, 1981, Toronto Ontario, Canada} was an Armenian actress who was one of the artists of the Ottoman theater.
She grew up in theater with the actor parents of the Minakyan troupe. She was educated at the Notre Dame de Sion French School. Later, she performed on stage in the Ottoman Navy Society Heyet-i Temsiliyesi, Yeni Sahne and Darülbedayi, respectively. Among the Armenian actors who were essential in creating and sustaining Istanbul theaters at the turn of the twentieth century, Eliza Binemeciyan (1890-1981) emerged as a prominent one.
Binemeciyan, who went to Paris in 1924, went to Türkiye in 1926 and performed on stage for a while, then went back to France. Binemeciyan, who never returned to the city that was her home and where the remains of her parents were buried. Her departure was normalized since she was depicted as an actor whose absence fostered the acting careers of Muslim Turkish women without much regard for her remarkable presence in Istanbul theaters. - Excerpt: see
- Muhsin Ertuğrul (1892–1979) asked his friend Ahmet Refet Muvahhit whether his newly married wife Bedia Muvahhit (1897–1994) would be eligible for the lead role. For the supporting female role of Kezban in the movie, a newspaper advertisement was published. Only one woman, Münire Eyüp (1902–1943), applied. She played in the movie under the pseudonym Neyyire Neyir. She married to Muhsin Ertuğrul. In later years she devoted herself to stage theater cut short for her early death.
- Biket İlhan (Blue-Eyed Giant / Mavi Gozlu Dev), Çiğdem Vitrinel (But Muzeyyen That’s the Deepest Desire / Fakat Müzeyyen Bu Derin Bir Tutku), Handan İpekçi (Hejar), İlksen Başarır (Marry Go Round / Atlikarinca), and Tomris Giritlioğlu (Mrs. Salkim’s Diamonds / Salkım Hanımın Taneleri).
In recent years, younger female directors also made their first feature films: Ahu Öztürk (Dust Cloth), Belma Baş (Zefir), Belmin Söylemez (Present Tense), Ceyda Torun (Cat), Ceylan Özgün Özçelik (Anxiety), Deniz Akçay (Rootless), Emine Emel Balcı (Until My Breath Is Lost), Esra Saydam & Nisan Dağ (Sea Level), Melisa Önel (Taste of Sand), Merve Kayan & Zeynep Dadak (Blue Wave), Senem Tüzen (Motherland), Vuslat Saraçoğlu (Debt), Belma Baş (Zefir), Belmin Söylemez (Present Tense), Ceyda Torun (Cat), Ceylan Özgün Özçelik (Anxiety), Deniz Akçay (Rootless).
SOURCES
Kadıoğlu, Ayşe (2021) Leaving a life behind: Eliza Binemeciyan’s encounter with “the banality of evil”. Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies, 28.
