Focusing on the life of the first female mayor Leyla Atakan: Gala date for the film 'Leyla Hanım' has been set

The gala, which was planned for last year but postponed due to the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, will take place in İzmit for the film 'Leyla Hanım'.

İzmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet, who has been following the work ahead of the gala, visited the Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center to receive information about the preparations.

'WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME'

Inviting citizens to the gala program, Hürriyet said, "There is very little time left until the gala of our film 'Leyla Hanım,' which covers the life of our first female mayor, Leyla Atakan, and on which we have been working for a long time. We will be at the Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center on Sunday evening, February 11, at 18:00, together with our surprise guests and the gala where we will bring it to all our people."

WHAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE FILM LEYLA HANIM?

Leyla Hanım is a documentary film about the life of Leyla Atakan.

It covers the life of Leyla Atakan, who was elected Mayor of Kocaeli in 1968 and lost her life in a traffic accident in 1971 along with three fellow council members, in a documentary-drama style. The screenwriter and director of the film is İlke İşisağ. It has been deemed worthy of awards at many national and international festivals.

Filming began in 2020 under the leadership of the then-Mayor of İzmit, Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet. The production of the film was undertaken by the İzmit Municipality.

In the film, where Gani Müjde served as script consultant, Leyla Atakan was portrayed by Özge Borak.

The cast included Beyti Engin, Serhan Arslan, Bekir Aksoy, Devrim Nas, Anıl Taşezen, Barış Kıralioğlu, Belma Canciğer, Aylin Aras, and Ferman Akgül.