Ercüment Akman | Turkish Cinema Newsletter Editor

Ercüment  Akman | Turkish Cinema Newsletter Editor

Born 1950, Istanbul, Turkey

Founder/Director Silk|ROAD (2004)

Editor Turkish Cinema Newsletter
1997 - 1998 Toronto
1998 - 2025 Washington DC

Member of Film Programmers International

Chronology (1967-2025)

1967 Film Critic

Kadikoy'un Sesi, Istanbul, Turkey (local weekly)

1968-69 Film Critic 

Yeni Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (National Daily)

1969-71 Editor 

Movie Pages of HEY (national youth and music weekly)

1971-73 Short Films

1969-1974 Publications and research

(Devlet Film Arsivi) State Film Archive, State Academy of Fine Arts, Istanbul

1972-74 Film Programming

(Devlet Film Arsivi) State Film Archive, State Academy of Fine Arts, Istanbul
Golden Age of Danish Silent Cinema
German Silent Films
Fantastic Cinema

1987-99 Board Member

Toronto Film Society
membership / publicity / International rogramming

1988 Programmer

May 21 1988 at University of Toronto, Innis College Town Hall
Program Organized by E. Ackman
during CFFS / Canadian Federation of Film Societies AGM Film Preview Weekend
Ahh Belinda / Atif Yilmaz 1987
Forbidden Love / Aski Memnu / Halit Refig 1975

1988 Film Introductions

The Best of Turkish Cinema / Toronto Science Center
Nov 19- 30, 1988
A Desperate Road / Umutsuz Yol /Omer Kavur 1985
White Bicyle /Beyaz Bisiklet / Nisan Akman 1987
Ahh Belinda / Atif Yilmaz 1987
Ipekce / Bilge Olgac 1986
Forbidden Love / Aski Memnu / Halit Refig 1975
Wrestler / Pehlivan / Zeki Okten 1985
Sultanahmed Hippodrome / Sultanahmet Meydani/(documentary short) / Nesli
Colgecen
When Fogs Disappear / Sisler Kovulunca / (documentary short) / Suha Arin 1986

1989 Organizer

New Turkish Cinema
January 11- March 9, 1989

Pacific Cinematheque, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Cinematheque Quebecoise, Montreal PQ
Canadian Film Institute, Ottawa Ontario, Canada
Waterloo University, Waterloo Ontario, Canada

A Desperate Road / Umutsuz Yol /Omer Kavur 1985
White Bicyle /Beyaz Bisiklet / Nisan Akman 1987
Ahh Belinda / Atif Yilmaz 1987
Ipekce / Bilge Olgac 1986
Forbidden Love / Aski Memnu / Halit Refig 1975
Wrestler / Pehlivan / Zeki Okten 1985
Sultanahmed Hippodrome / Sultanahmet Meydani/(documentary short) / Nesli
Colgecen
When Fogs Disappear / Sisler Kovulunca / (documentary short) / Suha Arin 1986

1990-97 Introductions of films and directors

Toronto International Film Festival

1990 Furuzan, Gulsun Karamustafa
1991 Omer Kavur
1992 Nizamettin Aric
1997 Dervis Zaim
1999 Yesim Ustaoglu

1990 Organized Program

on behalf of Turkish Culture and Folklore Society
Turkish Film Festival, North York, Ontario, Canada
October 10-13, 1990 at Fairview Library Theatre, North York, Ontario, Canada
My Aunt / Teyzem/ Halit Refig
After Yesterday, Before Tomorrow/ Dunden Once Yarindan Sonra/ Nisan Akman
Summer is Over/ Yaz Bitti /Zeki Alasya
Any Woman/ Herhangi Bir Kadin / Serif Goren

1993 Film Programmer

Toronto Animated Image Society
1993 Japanese Animation Program / Art Gallery of Ontario

1996 Film Programmer

Czech Cinema and Literature/
Cinematheque Ontario
Pasific Cinematheque, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Canadian Film Institute, Ottawa Ontario, Canada
Waterloo University, Waterloo Ontario, Canada

1996 Film Programmer

Jan 10- Feb 11, 1996 / New Turkish Cinema
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canadian Film Institute, Ottawa Ontario, Canada
Waterloo University, Waterloo Ontario, Canada

Motherland Hotel/ Anayurt Oteli / Omer Kavur 1987
Daydreams of Miss Cazibe / Cazibe Hanimin Gunduz Dusleri /Irfan Tozum 1993
Walking on Fire / Ates Ustunde Yurumek/ Yavuz Ozkan 1991
Berlin in Berlin/ Sinan Cetin 1993
Two Women /Iki Kadin / Yavuz Ozkan 1992
Dream Travellers/ Dus Gezginleri / Atif Yilmaz 1992

Initiated a campaign for the installation of a Toronto Historical Board plaque
at the site of the first moving picture show on the occasion of the Centennial of
Cinema

1995-2002 Interviews

Interviews on Turkish Cinema / CIUT Toronto,
Interview about Turkish Cinema / CHIN Radio, November 1, 1997
Interviews about Turkish Cinema / Voice of America, Washington DC
Voice of America interview (in Turkish)


1999 Film Programmer

May 1 -June 27, 1999 / New Turkish Cinema

Freer and Sacker Galleries, Washington DC
The Bandit / Eskiya / Yavuz Turgul 1966
Somersault in a Coffin / Tabutta Rovesata / Dervis Zaim 1966
Lobster Pot / Yengec Sepeti / Yavuz Ozkan 1994
Innocence / Masumiyet / Zeki Demirkubuz 1998
Journey on the Clock Hand / Akrebin Yolculugu / Omer Kavur 1997
Traces / Iz / Yesim Ustaoglu
A Boat Anchored in the Desert / Colde Yanliz bir Gemi / Basar Sabuncu 1993
The Town / Kasaba / Nuri Bilge Ceylan 1997
Cholera Street / Agir Roman / Mustafa Altioklar 1998

1999-2002 Film Programmer

New Turkish Cinema Fall-Spring

6 Feature Films / University of Boston
A Boat Anchored in the Desert / Colde Yanliz bir Gemi / Basar Sabuncu 1993
Everything's Gonna be Great / Hersey Cok Guzel Olacak / Omer Vargi 1998
Mr. Muhsin / Muhsin Bey / Yavuz Turgul 1986
Somersault in a Coffin / Tabutta Rovasata / Dervis Zaim 1996
Cholera Street / Agir Roman / Mustafa Altioklar 1998
The Wound / Yara /

Latest Voice of America interview after FilmfestDC 2002 (in Turkish)

2001 Organized TURKISH FILM FORUM

Friday June 8, 2001 at the Turkish Embassy for DC film community to seek advice on
how to make Turkish Films available for public and discuss Turkish Film Programs in
USA

2001 Guest Curator NEW TURKISH CINEMA

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery September-October 2001
Run for Money / Kac Para Kac / Reha Erdem 1999
Third Page / Ucuncu Sayfa / Zeki Demirkubuz 1999
House of Angels / Melekler Evi/ Omer Kavur 2000
A Madonna in Laleli/ Laleli'de Bir Madonna / Kudret Sabanci 1998
On Board / Gemide/ Serdar Akar 1998
Balalayka / Ali Ozgenturk 2000
Clouds of May / Nuri Bilge Ceylan 2000

2002 Film Presentation QandA

BERLINALE, Berlin, Germany Retrospective 2002

Section: Retrospective
“Ac Kurtlar/Hungry Wolwes” Turkey, 1969, by Yilmaz Güney

Covered Berlinale for Altyazi Film Magazine (Istanbul)

The 52nd annual Berlin International Film Festival  February 6 to 17

The 53rd annual Berlin International Film Festival  February 6–16, 2003.

The 54th annual Berlin International Film Festival  5–15 February 2004. Interviewed Fatih Akin Gegen die Wand  Golden Bear.

The 55th annual Berlin International Film Festival 10 to 20 February 2005

2003 Member of the national Jury

22nd Istanbul International Film Festival. First presented as a film week in the summer of 1982, within the framework of the International Istanbul Festival.

2003 - 2013 Presented Turkish films and directors.

Co consultant with Sevinç Baloğlu 

The London Turkish Film Festival (LTFF) was inaugurated by Vedide Kaymak in 1993.

Participation

11th London Turkish Film Festival 10 - 16 October 2003 London, UK

12th London Turkish Film Festival + Panel Discussion

13th London Turkish Film Festival 

14th London Turkish Film Festival 

15th London Turkish Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Türkan Şoray

16th London Turkish Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Şener Şen

17th London Turkish Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Hülya Koçyiğit

18th London Turkish Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Kadir İnanır

2004 Presented Turkish films and directors 
12th London Turkish Film Festival 3 - 12 December 2004 London, UK

NEW TURKISH CINEMA IN EUROPE Panel Discussion
Organized by the London Turkish Film Festival, in collaboration with the Transcultural
Research Unit, Goldsmiths College and the Rio Cinema

Reporter: Erju Ackman (Editor of Turkish Cinema Newsletter): A summary of
the main points

2005 Co-Film Programmmer

National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

"Cinema from the Lands of Abraham," a three-stage festival of recent cinema from
producers in Turkey, Iran, Algeria, Morocco, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, and Afghanistan
The series organized in association with Shirin Ghareeb and the Middle East Institute,
with appreciation to David Chambers and Erju Ackman.

Part I: October 31 through November 6

Four works by acclaimed Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, including his most recent
work Uzak (Distant), winner of the Prix du Jury at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival

Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Events and Programs to Celebrate the Exhibition
“Style and Status: Imperial Costumes from Ottoman Turkey”

“Turkey’s rich cinematic legacy will be showcased in the Freer Gallery’s Meyer
Auditorium with films chosen by the Ankara Cinema
Association. 

Turkish film expert Erju Ackman will introduce each film.

Yol by Şerif Gören
Hope by Yılmaz Güney
The Herd by Zeki Ökten
Muhsin Bey by Yavuz Turgul
Innocence by Zeki Demirkubuz
The Girl with the Red Scarf by Atif Yilmaz
Motherland Hotel by Ömer Kavur
Dry Summer by Metin Erksan
The Bride by Lütfi Ömer Akad
Distant by Nuri Bilge Ceylan

2005 Turkish Film Program (Organized for Silk|ROAD)

Turkish Cinema Showcase (all new 35 mm copies with English Subtitles)
Avalon Theater, Washington, DC

Gonul Yarasi / Lovelorn by Omer Vargi
Toss Up/Yazi Tura by Ugur Yucel
Boats out of Watermelon Rinds / Karpuz Kabugundan Gemiler Yapmak by Ahmet
Ulucay


Executive producer / Turkish American Hour/ Public Access TV Programme
A talk show with Erju Ackman on Turkish Cinema.

An interview with Tolga Ornek, the director of award-winning documentary films
(Gallipoli, Hittites, Heart of Steel: Eregli, Mt. Nemrud, Fenerbahce, and Ataturk


2000-07 Presented Turkish films and directors during FilmfestDC

2000 “Harem Suare” Ferzan Ozpetek
“Propaganda” Sinan Cetin
“Gunese Yolculuk/Journey to Sun” Yesim Ustaoglu
2001 “Run For Money / Kac Para Kac “ Reha Erdem
2002 Yilmaz Erdogan, Omer Faruk Sorak “Vizontele”
2004 Zeki Demirkubuz “Bekleme Odasi/ Waiting Room”
“Uzak/ Distant” by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2005 Omer Vargi “Insaat/UInder Construction”
2007 Cem Yilmaz, Ali Taner Baltaci “Hokkabaz/Saltimbanque”

2005-2025

Turkish Cinema Newsletter
http://turkfilm.blogspot.com/

Digital Archives of Turkish Cinema Newsletter (1997-2005)
http://tcnarchive.blogspot.com/