Onat Kutlar

Scriptwriter, Writer, Poet

Birth
15 August, 1936
Death
11 January, 1995
Education
Gaziantep High School
Horoscope
Other Names
Mehmet Arif Onat Kutlar

Poet and writer (b. 15 August 1936, Gaziantep – d. 11 January 1995, İstanbul). He graduated from Gaziantep High School (1954) but he didn’t complete his education at İstanbul Universty, Faculty of Law because he went to Paris. He attended the University of Paris, Department of Philosophy for two years (1961-1963) but left there before finishing. After he had returned from Paris, he became the secretary of Doğan Kardeş magazine (1963-1965) and then the Director of the cinémathéque Association (1965-76). He was the owner and writer of Yeni Sinema magazine on behalf of cinémathéque Association (1967-70) and the Director of the Cinema Production and Projection Headquarters at the Ministry of Culture from the day it was founded (1978-80). Then he worked for an advertisement agency. He was a permanent member of the executive board of the İstanbul Foundation of Culture and Arts Cinema Information Committee and he stayed as the deputy chairman of the foundation until he died. He was seriously injured by a bomb placed in The Marmara Hotel in İstanbul on 31 December 1994 but didn’t survive his injuries and died on 11 January 1995.

He entered the world of literature with his poem, Hisar (Castle), 1952-54) and then he wrote short stories. His first short story Volan Kayışı (Flywheel Belt, 1952) was published in Seçilmiş Hikâyeler (Selected Stories). Then he decided to be a cinema critic and essay writer. His poems were published in the magazines Hisar, Küçük Dergi and İlke (Gaziantep, 1952-54); his stories were published in Seçilmiş Hikâyeler. For his first and only storybook İshak (Isaac, 1959), he received the 1960 Turkish Language Association Short Story Award. His articles on cinema and his essays were published in the magazines Meydan, Yeni, Yürüyüş, Milliyet Sanat and  Gösteri. His film Hakkari’de Bir Mevsim (A Season in Hakkari) that was adapted from Ferit Edgü’s novel named O (He), received awards in Berlin and the 2nd Mediterranean Film Festival. Turkuaz Belgeseli / 1989 (Turquoise Documentary, 1989) and Simurg Belgeseli, 1993-94 (Simurg Documentary, 1993-94) under his direction, were made into films by the foundations ‘Concept’ and the Independent Filmmakers Association. He produced programs such as 7. Sanat Sinema (7th Art Cinema, 1975), Milletin Radyosu (Radio of The Nation) and Gündemdeki Sanatçı (Artist on an Agenda, 1994) which was shown only once by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation. He was advisor and producer on the Simurg Documentary and the film Menekşe Koyu (Violet Bay). His poetry book Unutulmuş Kent (Forgotten City) was published again by İş Bank Publications in 2003. Some of his poems and stories have been translated into English, French and German. The story called İshak’taki Yunus (The Dolphin in Isaac) was published in English in the United States in Grand Street magazine. (Winter, 1995). His story İshak’tan Çatı (The Roof from Isaac) was translated into French with the name of Le Toit and featured in the same anthology as Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu, Sabahattin Ali, Memduh Şevket Esendal. Sait Faik, Orhan Kemal and Adnan Özyalçıner (The East Extracts of Procedures of Contemporary Turks, 1980). Unutulmuş Kent (Forgotten City) was translated into French with the name of La Ville Ubliee 7 Traduit du Turc (1995). He was conferred the decoration ‘Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ by the French Government and the Culture Medal by Poland.

WORKS:

SHORT STORY: İshak (Isaac, 1959).

POETRY: Pera’lı Bir Aşk İçin Divan (Divan* For a Love With Pera, 1981), Unutulmuş Kent (Forgotten City, 1986), Unutulmuş Kent ve Çeviri Şiirler (Forgotten City And Translated Poems, 1999).

ESSAY: Yeter ki Kararmasın (Only Don’t Let it Become Dark, 1984), Sinema Bir Şenliktir (Cinema Is A Celebration, articles on cinema, 1985), Bahar İsyancıdır (Spring Is Rebellious, 1986), Gündemdeki Konu (Issue On Agenda, newspaper articles, 1995), Gündemdeki Sanatçı (Artist On Agenda, newspaper articles, 1995).

SCREENPLAY: Yusuf ile Kenan (Yusuf and Kenan, 1979, director Ömer Kavur), Hazal (Hazal, 1979, director A. Özgentürk), Hakkari’de Bir Mevsim (A Season in Hakkari, 1982, director Erden Kral).

In addition, he translated from Breton, Füruğ and Ferruhzad.

 

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