Fuat Uzkinay(1888-1956)

Uzkinay was born in Uskudar/Istanbul in 1888, studied physic and chemistry at Darulfunun (Ottoman University) while working as a co-teacher. He started to be interested with cinema after the declaration of Second Constitutional Monarchy and gave lectures about cinema in the school where he employed as manager of internal affairs. Moreover, he learned how to use the filming devices from Sigmund Weinberg. During the WW1, Uzkinay was recruited as a reserve officer. During his military service he filmed Ayastefanos'taki Rus Abidesinin Yikilisi (1914) which is considered as the first movie in the Turkish Cinema so he became one of the pioneers. However there is an ongoing debate about whether this movie was really filmed or not. Uzkinay successfully completed Himmet Aga'nin Izdivaci (1916) after some break. Some of his other notable movies are Mürebbiye (1919), Bogaziçi Esrari (1922) and Zafer yollarinda (1923).