Farewell to master director Ali Özgentürk... Simay Özgentürk: 'My father's legacy will live on'

Ali Özgentürk, one of the unforgettable directors of Turkish cinema, passed away yesterday. A memorial ceremony was held for Özgentürk, who left deep marks on the art world, at the Beyoğlu Atlas Cinema. Many famous names from the art community attended the ceremony, where Özgentürk's contributions to cinema were remembered once again.

Among those attending the ceremony were journalist Necati Doğru, writer Sunay Akın, actors Nur Sürer, Menderes Samancılar, Halil Ergün, Sumru Yavrucuk, Suna Selen, Meltem Cumbul, and Meral Çetinkaya, director Biket İlhan, his wife and writer Işıl Özgentürk, journalist Kürşat Başar, writer Mehmet Açar, and his brother Nebil Özgentürk. During the commemoration, scenes from the director's films were shown, leading to emotional moments.

'MY FATHER'S LEGACY WILL LIVE ON THROUGH CINEMA'

Ali Özgentürk's daughter, Simay Özgentürk, could not hold back her tears as she placed carnations on her father's coffin. Simay Özgentürk stated that her father's legacy would continue to live on through cinema.

'HE WAS THE TEACHER OF OUR FAMILY'

Nebil Özgentürk expressed his deep sorrow over losing his older brother, Ali Özgentürk, saying, 'We lost him too soon. He could not overcome the lung infection. We bid him farewell with 60 projects. He was a teacher for our family.'

'THE DOOR TO SOCIAL CINEMA HAS CLOSED'

Speaking at the ceremony, Nur Sürer stated that the passing of her close friend Ali Özgentürk affected her deeply, saying, 'There is a passionate brotherhood at funerals in Yeşilçam. The door to social cinema has closed.'

'HE WAS A VAST OCEAN'

Menderes Samancılar emphasized that Ali Özgentürk's place in the industry could not be filled, stating, 'Our brother Ali was loved and respected by everyone. He was a vast ocean for our industry.' Halil Ergün noted that Özgentürk left a mark on his life and that he still had much more to do.

Ali Özgentürk made a powerful entry into cinema with the 1979 film Hazal and left behind a legacy filled with works such as The Girl with the Red Scarf (Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım), Balalayka, and The Crab Game (Yengeç Oyunu). Özgentürk is known as the screenwriter of The Girl with the Red Scarf, which is identified with the phrase 'Love is labor.'