Cahide Sonku

Acting Dec 27, 1919 Mar 18, 1981 (aged 62) Sana'a, Yemen

Cahide Sonku (27 December 1912 – 18 March 1981) was a Turkish actress, model, writer and the first female film director in Turkey. Sonku was the founder of her own movie production company, Sonku Film, in 1950. Sonku' first theater and cinema experience was during her secondary school education. She was accepted into Darülbedayi when she was only 16 years old, and in time she took her place among the most popular actors of Istanbul City Theatres. She started acting with "Seven Village Zeynebi" first at the People's Houses Theater, then at the Istanbul Municipality Conservatory, and then at Darülbedayi (1932-City Theaters), discovered by Muhsin Ertuğrul who was an important figure in Sonku's career.

Sonku founded the production company "Sonku Film" in 1950 and however went bankrupt in 1963 due to a fire that burned down the company building. She continued working at the City Theater through Muhsin Ertuğrul's influence, then left and struggled with alcohol addiction in the last years of her life.

Sonku received the Turkish Film Critics Association service award in 1979 and died in 1981 at the Alkazar Cinema in Istanbul, at the age of 61. She was buried in Zincirlikuyu Cemetery. Cahide Sonku Prize is awarded in her memory at the annual Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.

28 Acting Credits

5 Crew Credits

Cahide Sonku

Acting

The Wren

The Girl From The Marsh Croft

A Song to Long For

Victim of Lust

Ayşecik Yavru Melek

The Stranger's Daughter

Serseriler Kralı

Mıstık

Siyaset Meydanı

Akasya Palas

Yahya Peygamber

Kıskanç

Senede Bir Gün

Yayla Kartalı

The Devoted Mother

Sevgim ve Gururum

Vatan ve Namık Kemal

Yuvamı Yıkamazsın

Kovboy Ali

Horse, Woman and Gun

Düşman Kardeşler

Beyaz Atlı Adam

Fato: Ya İstiklal Ya Ölüm

Söz Bir Allah Bir

Crew

A Song to Long For

The Devoted Mother

Vatan ve Namık Kemal

Kahpenin Kızı

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