
Directing
Born December 9, 1925 · Turkey
Atıf Yılmaz Batıbeki (9 December 1925 – 5 May 2006) was a renowned Turkish film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He was very much a legend in the film industry of Turkey with 119 movies directed. He also wrote 53 screenplays and produced 28 movies since 1951. He was active in most every period of the Turkish film industry. After finishing high school in Mersin, he attended the Law School of Istanbul University. Because of his interest in arts, he dropped out of Law School and entered the Painting Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Istanbul. After graduating from the Academy, he did some painting works in workshops. His education in painting helped him when he was directing his movies, as he once remarked. In the beginning, he worked as a film critic, made paintings and wrote film scripts to earn a living. After co-directing two movies as an assistant director to Semih Evin in 1950, his directing career began with the film Kanli Feryat (The Bloody Cry). In 1960, he established his film company "Yerli Film" with the actor Orhan Günsiray. The most important movies in his filmography were: Hickirik (The Sob), Alageyik (The Fallow Deer), Suclu (The Guilty One), Seni Kaybedersem (If I Lose You), Yaban Gülü (The Wild Rose), Kesanli Ali Destani (Kesanli Ali's Epic), Tacsiz Kral (The Crownless King), Topragin Kani (Blood of the Earth), Olum Tarlasi (Death Field), Utanc (The Shame), Zavallilar (The Poor People), Selvi Boylum, Al Yazmalim (My Girl with the Red Scarf), Baskin (The Raid), Adak (The Sacrifice), Bir Yudum Sevgi (A Sip of Love), Adi Vasfiye (Her Name is Vasfiye), Berdel, Düs Gezginleri (Walking After Midnight), Eylül Firtinasi (After the Fall) and Mine. He made movies that were both fluent and had mainly social messages. Most of the themes of his movies were taboo when they were produced. Particularly "Mine" and "Her Name is Vasfiye" were both revolutionary at the time of their release with themes regarding sexuality and the reaction of society. He never gave up making movies throughout his life and even in the time when the industry stopped filmmaking due to economic reasons. Atif Yilmaz played an important role in the professional career of notable Turkish film directors like Halit Refig, Yilmaz Güney, Serif Gören, Zeki Ökten and Ali Özgentürk. During the Antalya Film Festival in September 2005, he was admitted to hospital with gastro-intestinal complaints. He died on 5 May 2006 in Istanbul.

Borrowed Bride
2005

After the Fall
1999

Nihavend Mucize
1997

Loves with Gravity: Turkish Sweets
1996

Loves with Gravity
1996

The Night, Angel and Our Children
1994

Walking After Midnight
1992

Bekle Dedim Gölgeye
1991

Berdel
1990

A Dead Sea
1989

The Woman Has No Name
1988

Devil, My Friend
1988

My Dreams, My Love, and You
1987

Aaahh Belinda
1986

The Windmill
1986

How to Save Asiye
1986

Vasfiye Is Her Name
1985

A Lonely Woman
1985

A Sip of Love
1984

Unmade Bed
1984

I Love You
1983

Sugar Pie Lady
1983

Mill Horse
1982

Mine
1982

Deli Kan
1981

The Sacrifice
1980

Talihli Amele
1980

Ne Olacak Şimdi
1979

The Little Sparrow
1979

Köşeyi Dönen Adam
1978