If you watch Turkish dramas for long enough, you will hear the word Yeşilçam. It comes up in fan discussions, in awards names, and in the title of a series. It refers to the golden age of Turkish cinema and, more broadly, to the film industry itself. Understanding it helps explain why Turkish dramas look and feel the way they do.
What does Yeşilçam mean?
Yeşilçam means "Green Pine" in Turkish. The name comes from Yeşilçam Street (Yeşilçam Sokak) in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district, where many production companies, actors, directors and crew members were based. It became shorthand for Turkish cinema in the same way that "Hollywood" stands for the American film industry.
Timeline
- 1950s to 1970s — The golden age. Production boomed, with roughly 250 to 350 films a year at the peak.
- 1964 — Susuz Yaz by Metin Erksan wins the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, the first such honor for a Turkish film.
- 1966 — Ticket sales peak at about 90 million.
- 1970s to 1980s — Television and video draw audiences away, political violence disrupts the industry, and many films become low-budget.
- 1984 to 1990 — Ticket sales fall to about 56 million in 1984 and 11 million in 1990, and the number of cinemas drops sharply.
- 2000s — Revival, led by films such as Vizontele (2001), and international recognition, including the Grand Prix at Cannes for Uzak in 2003.
The golden age
During the 1950s, 60s and early 70s, Yeşilçam made large numbers of popular films: romances, family melodramas, comedies and musicals. Production was fast and driven by audience demand, and the stars were recognizable to everyone. By some accounts, Turkey was among the world's biggest film producers by volume in this period.
The stars
- Actors: Kemal Sunal, Kadir İnanır, Şener Şen, Tarık Akan, Cüneyt Arkın, Münir Özkul, Ayhan Işık and Sadri Alışık.
- Actresses: Türkan Şoray, Fatma Girik, Hülya Koçyiğit, Emel Sayın, Adile Naşit and Filiz Akın.
- Famous screen couples: Türkan Şoray and Kadir İnanır, and Cüneyt Arkın and Fatma Girik, pairings that audiences returned to again and again.
The directors
Ömer Lütfi Akad strongly shaped the period, while Ertem Eğilmez, Osman Fahir Seden, Atıf Yılmaz and Memduh Ün were among the most prolific. Metin Erksan's Susuz Yaz showed that Turkish films could win major international prizes.
The genres
Romance and melodrama dominated, with comedy, drama and musicals alongside them. A less respectable strand, sometimes called "Turksploitation," made low-budget films that borrowed from foreign hits.
Decline
The decline had several causes. Television spread in the 1970s and 1980s, and families stayed home. Political violence in the late 1970s kept audiences away, and the 1980 coup is often cited as the point at which the old system collapsed. Ticket sales and theater numbers fell sharply, and by the early 1990s only a handful of films were released each year.
Revival and the link to television
Turkish cinema recovered from the late 1980s and especially in the 2000s, when comedies, large-scale productions and festival-winning art films all found audiences. At the same time, the energy of the old film industry moved into television. Many of the traits of Turkish dramas today have clear Yeşilçam roots:
- Melodrama. Intense emotion, family conflict and love across class lines were Yeşilçam staples.
- Star couples. Audiences following a lead pair from series to series echoes the Yeşilçam tradition.
- Music. Yeşilçam soundtracks and musical films are still widely known, and memorable theme songs remain a feature of Turkish series.
- Crossover careers. Many dizi actors also work in film, and the Yeşilçam Awards recognize film work.
The name also lives on in the series Yeşilçam, a 2021 BluTV production set in the golden age of Turkish cinema and starring Ç
ağatay Ulusoy. It is a good way to see the period dramatized if you do not want to watch the old films.
Where to start with Yeşilçam
- Watch the series Yeşilçam for a modern look at the era.
- Pick a star. Search for films by Türkan Şoray, Kemal Sunal or Şener Şen to see the range of the industry.
- Choose official sources. Many classic films are released through official channels, and availability varies by country, so use legal services.
For modern series that continue the tradition, see our guides to the best classic Turkish dramas, the best Turkish period dramas and the actors who became international stars. If you are new, how to start watching Turkish dramas is the place to begin.
Frequently asked questions
What is Yeşilçam?
It is the nickname for the Turkish film industry, especially its golden age from the 1950s to the 1970s, taken from a street in Istanbul.
What does Yeşilçam mean?
“Green Pine.” It is named after Yeşilçam Street in Beyoğlu.Why did Yeşilçam decline?
Television, video and political unrest reduced audiences, and ticket sales and cinema numbers fell sharply between the 1970s and 1990.
How does Yeşilçam connect to Turkish dramas?
Turkish dramas inherit its melodrama, star couples and family-centered storytelling, and many actors move between film and television.
Is there a series about Yeşilçam?
Yes. A 2021 series called Yeşilçam is set in the golden age of Turkish cinema.
