1988 | Kadir Inanir in Toronto

Toronto Science Center

Turkish Film Festival

Organized with Gerald Pratley [1]
Nov 19- 30, 1988

 1988 Film Introductions by Ercument Akman

Kadir Inanir in attendance with Zuhal Olcay was the biggest film event ever at Science Center.

A Desperate Road [2] / Umutsuz Yol /Omer Kavur 1985 Full  Movie Link

The film tells the story of Hasan, a truck driver. Hasan returns from Germany after many years. On his return, he finds out that his ex-girlfriend Sabahat and his best friend Yavuz are married. Yavuz is involved in illegal business causing his family to get mixed up.

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

[1]   Gerald Arthur Pratley (September 3, 1923 – March 14, 2011) was a Canadian film critic and historian.[1] A longtime film critic for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, he was historically most noted as founder and director of the Ontario Film Institute, a film archive and reference library which was acquired by the Toronto International Film Festival in 1990 and became the contemporary Film Reference Library and TIFF Cinematheque.

[2] The ‘Cinema Honorary Award’ of the 44th Istanbul Film Festival, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) and taking place from April 11 to 22, has been awarded to actress Zuhal Olcay and A Desperate Road | Umutsuz Yol was screened.

Zuhal Olcay, who received the Istanbul Film Festival’s Honorary Cinema Award  says: "Ömer Kavur is one of those pioneering directors who established a unique narrative style in Turkish cinema and aimed to provoke thought in the audience by exploring themes such as human relationships, social issues, and individual existence. "Amansız Yol" is a road movie that captures that magical atmosphere—a hallmark of the films of Ömer Kavur, an artist I have long admired and with whom I had the privilege of working three times."

From Program Notes:

1986 Istanbul: Best Turkish Film

1985 Antalya: Best Actress (Z. Olcay)

1985 Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture: Cinema Achievement Award

"Amansız Yol" (Desperate Road) is a film centered on themes of journeys and quests, offering an aesthetic and thematic depth that distinguishes it from classic Yeşilçam cinema. Co-written by Ömer Kavur and Barış Pirhasan—inspired by Kerem Şahin’s short story "Çıkmaz Yollar" (Dead-End Roads)—the screenplay explores the breakdown of human connections and alienation, while the film itself stands out for its visual storytelling and multidimensional characters. Produced by Delta Film—the company of Atıf Yılmaz, a master and prolific figure of Turkish cinema—the film captivates audiences with powerful performances from Kadir İnanır, Zuhal Olcay, Yavuzer Çetinkaya, and child actress Mine Çayıroğlu.

The film begins when the paths of Hasan (a truck driver returning from Germany), his former lover Sabahat, and his childhood friend Yavuz cross. Sabahat is trapped in an unhappy marriage with Yavuz and supports the family through sex work under her husband's coercion. Complications arise when Yavuz steals money, leaves it with Hasan, and flees. Hasan takes Sabahat and her young daughter, Ayşe, on a journey from western to eastern Turkey to rescue them from the men pursuing them. However, tensions escalate during the trip as Sabahat refuses to return to her family and confronts unresolved issues from her past with Hasan. 

• A Desperate Road | Umutsuz Yol TÜRKİYE / 1985 / DCP / Colour / 90’ / Turkish; English s.t. Director: Ömer Kavur; Screenplay: Barış Pirhasan; Original Work: Kerem Şahin; Director of Photography: Orhan Oğuz; Editing: Mevlüt Koçak; Music: Uğur Dikmen; Producer: Atıf Yılmaz; Production Co.: Delta Film; World Sales: Fanatik Film; Cast: Kadir İnanır, Zuhal Olcay, Yavuzer Çetinkaya, Mine Çayıroğlu, Mustafa Dik, Ümit Yesin, Ferda Ferdağ, Hasan Yıldız

Letter from Kadir Inanir | Note: Kaya Agabey was Turkish Ambassador Kaya Toperi.

In Memoriam | Kadir İnanır (1949 –2026)

 "Dear Kadir; while we waited hopefully for days for news of your recovery, the tragic news arrived—I simply didn't want to believe it... You were the man who could pack a thousand meanings into a single glance, the man with the most beautiful smile... What moments we shared, what memories we gathered during film shoots... Your cinematic light will never fade. If our cinema exists, you will always be with us—and in the heart of Alyazmalı..." said Türkan Şoray upon learning the passing of Kadir İnanır who died at the age of 77 after weeks in intensive care battling pneumonia and other serious health complications.

Kadir İnanır (15 April 1949 – 26 June 2026) was a leading Turkish actor and director who rose to fame in the Yeşilçam era portraying rugged, justice-seeking protagonists and later romantic leads. Born in Ordu,  Fatsa, he starred in over 150 films, including classics like “Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım” and “Dila Hanım,” often opposite Türkan Şoray. Honored with Golden Orange and Golden Boll awards, he remains the last icon of a lost era of Turkish cinema.