Türkân Şoray is an artist who has worked as an actress, director, and screenwriter in Turkish cinema. Beginning her career in the 1960s, she played leading roles in numerous films while also undertaking directing and screenwriting duties. Throughout her career, she has received various national and international awards.

Birth and Education

Türkân Şoray was born on 25 June 1945 in Fatih, Istanbul. Her father, Halit Şoray, was a civil servant at the State Railways, and her mother was a homemaker. She is the elder sister of singer and actress Nazan Şoray. She began her primary education at Rami Taş School and completed it at Feriköy Primary School, then finished her secondary education at Fatih Girls’ High School. After her parents divorced in 1954, she moved with her mother and siblings to Karagümrük.

Beginning of Cinema Career and Early Years

Türkân Şoray began visiting film sets through neighbors who were actors, where she caught the attention of Türker İnanoğlu and took on the leading role in the film Köyde Bir Kız Sevdim at the beginning of the 1960s. She was frequently featured in gossip magazines during her early years. She established herself in Yeşilçam cinema and made a significant breakthrough with the film Acı Hayat in 1964, for which she won the Best Actress award at the 1st Antalya Film Festival.

Career Development and the “Şoray Rules”

In the 1960s, she became one of the four leading female actresses of Yeşilçam alongside Fatma Girik, Hülya Koçyiğit, and Filiz Akın. Due to repeated similar roles after 1966, producers imposed restrictions on her, leading to the development of a protocol known as the “Şoray Rules,” which regulated the actress’s working conditions.

Directing and Her Role in Cinema

Şoray also directed films alongside her acting career during the 1960s and 1970s. Her first directorial attempt was the 1972 film Dönüş, which won a special award at the Moscow Film Festival. She later directed the films Azap (1973) and Bodrum Hakimi (1976).

Personal Life and Social Relationships

Şoray had a close relationship with Rüçhan Atlı, a friend of her mother, lasting 20 years. She married actor and theater performer Cihan Ünal in 1983, with whom she had a daughter named Yağmur. They separated in 1987.

Cinema and Television Work

From the 1970s onward, she participated in various film and television projects. The film Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım (1977) holds a significant place in her acting career. In the 1980s, she took on roles in films addressing women’s themes and pioneered the genre with the film Mine (1982). Cinema activities decreased in the 1990s, but she attracted attention in the 2000s with the television series İkinci Bahar. Her final film role was in the 2004 movie Mürüvvetsiz Mürüvvet.

Awards and Honors

Türkân Şoray has won numerous awards throughout her career. Among her major accolades are three Best Actress awards at the Golden Orange Film Festival for the films Acı Hayat (1964), Ölüm Tarlası (1968), and Hayallerim Aşkım ve Sen (1987); the 1973 Golden Boll Award for Mahpus; the Grand Prize at the Rome Film Festival (1999); and various other awards from national and international festivals. Additionally, in recognition of her contribution to education, she built a primary school bearing her name in 1973.

Films Directed

• Uzaklarda Arama (2015)
• Yılanı Öldürseler (1981)
• Bodrum Hakimi (1976)
• Azap (1973)
• Dönüş (1972)
• Çalıkuşu 2 (1966)

Screenplays Written

• Yılanı Öldürseler (1981)
• Buruk Acı (1969)

Films Based on Her Works

• Buğulu Gözler (1970)
• Buruk Acı (1969)

Films in Which She Appeared (Selection)

• Ekmekçi Kadın (1965)
• Bir Dağ Masalı (1968)
• Cemo (1972)
• Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım (1977)
• Hazal (1979)

Academic and Cultural Contributions

In addition to her long and multifaceted career in cinema, Türkân Şoray has made various contributions to cultural fields. In 1973, she built a primary school to support education.