Zeki Ökten

Zeki Ökten — Biography

Zeki Ökten (August 4, 1941 – December 19, 2009, Istanbul) grew interested in theater while at Haydarpaşa High School and entered cinema in 1961 as assistant director on Nişan Hançer's Acı Zeytin, going on to assist masters such as Lütfi Akad, Halit Refiğ, Memduh Ün and Atıf Yılmaz. When his 1963 directing debut Ölüm Pazarı failed to draw the attention he hoped for, he spent nine more years assisting before making his name with Kadın Yapar (1972) and, scripted by Selim İleri, Bir Demet Menekşe (1973). He came to be counted among a "second generation" of directors after Osman Seden, Akad, Erksan, Ün, Refiğ and Yılmaz, and made his real breakthrough with Sürü (1978) and Düşman (1979), both scripted by Yılmaz Güney. Sürü won nine international awards including the Golden Leopard at Locarno, while Düşman received an honorable mention at the 30th Berlin Film Festival and Pehlivan (1984) likewise at Berlin. He treated social problems through comedy in films such as Kapıcılar Kralı (1976) and Çöpçüler Kralı (1977), and won the Golden Orange Best Director award three times. In 1986 he trained Zeki Demirkubuz as his assistant. After an eleven-year break following Düttürü Dünya (1988), he returned with Güle Güle (1999), which drew over a million viewers. He was married to actress Güler Ökten, and died at the American Hospital following heart surgery, buried at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery after a funeral at Teşvikiye Mosque.