Taking viewers back in time: A collection of Yeşilçam film posters

A curiosity that began with the purchase of a few Yeşilçam film posters has led Gürcan Senem to amass a collection of nearly 600 pieces over 15 years.

While wandering through the Old Booksellers' Bazaar (Sahaflar Çarşısı) in Istanbul, where she moved 16 years ago for work, Senem purchased posters of some Yeşilçam films she admired.

Her interest in film posters grew over time, and 45-year-old Senem gradually increased the number of posters, reaching a collection of nearly 600 pieces.

Senem's collection, which she guards like the apple of her eye, features posters starring many film icons from Münir Özkul to Adile Naşit, Kemal Sunal to Tarık Akan, Fatma Girik to Hülya Koçyiğit, Şener Şen to Cüneyt Arkın, Türkan Şoray to Ayşen Gruda, and Sadri Alışık to Kadir İnanır, and also serves as a "cinema archive."

Senem is preparing to exhibit her collection of posters from films that once brought millions together on the silver screen, such as "Köyden indim şehire," "Gülen gözler," "Çiçek Abbas," "Selvi boylum al yazmalım," "Sultan," "Salak milyoner," "Erkek güzeli sefil bilo," and "Şalvar Bank."

Gürcan Senem, who serves as the Head of the City History and Promotion Department at Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, told an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter that his interest in Yeşilçam films began during his youth.

Stating that he has been collecting his collection, which consists of approximately 600 Yeşilçam film posters as well as 100 foreign film posters, for nearly 15 years, Senem noted that the number of people doing this in Turkey is very small and that he possesses a rare archive.

Senem stated that his collection includes posters of films starring artists such as Orhan Gencebay, Ferdi Tayfur, Müslüm Gürses, Sezen Aksu, and Emrah.

Preparing to share the film posters he has collected with great dedication over the years with art lovers at the Metropolitan Art Gallery in the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Millet Bahçesi on September 3, Senem noted the following:

"The exhibition, consisting of film posters, features posters from Yeşilçam films up to the year 1990. We had to set a limit. For this exhibition, we selected 150 out of 600 films. If this collection is well-received, we will exhibit posters from other Yeşilçam films in the future. Film posters have become a significant financial resource.

There are very expensive film posters. It is impossible and very costly to find posters for films from the 1940s. The same applies to the 1950s. We are trying to exhibit the film posters we could reach here. Many people will find something of themselves here. They will remember scenes and lines from the films. This exhibition features posters from films by very special people."

Senem stated that visitors to the exhibition will be able to see not only signed photographs of Yeşilçam artists, but also postcards and some original films consisting of 8, 16, and 35-millimeter reels.

Stating that two surprises await cinema lovers who will visit the exhibition, Senem said, "There are lost films in Turkish cinema. It is said that there are approximately 1180. One of them, which should be a 1963 production, is the spoof version of the James Bond film From Russia with Love, titled 'Cezmi Band 007.5 From Kayseri with Love'. This film is a lost film."

"There is only one soundtrack piece in this film. Apart from that, there are two posters. No footage from the film is known to exist. Here, they will also be able to see the trailer for that film. They won't be watching it, but they will be able to see the original films. Secondly, they can see the original screenplay for the film 'Mazi Kalbimde Yaradır', written by Osman Seden," he stated.

Thanking Metropolitan Mayor Memduh Büyükkılıç for his support in bringing the film posters to art lovers, Senem invited all citizens to the exhibition.