Prof. Sami Şekeroğlu Cinema-TV Center Moving and Renovation

I worked at Turk Film Arsivi with Sami Şekeroğlu[1] during 1968-1974. 

I Curated film programs (German Fantastic Cinema) and typeset some of the publications. 

Before the new building was realized I prepared the topographical map of the site and discovered also that Grunding building illegally occupied parts of the property with a  single story lunch room annex. 

Mimar Cengiz Eruzun did the preliminary architectural design.

Mavi Boncuk |

Prof. Sami Şekeroğlu[1] Cinema-TV Center Moving and Renovation Process Information Meeting

Altyazi Background Article (in Turkish)

Sources: The National Film Preservation Foundation

The International Federation of Film Archives | Fédération internationale des archives du film, FIAF

[1] Sami Şekeroğlu (b. 26 February 1937 - Ulukent, Harput, Elazığ) is a Turkish cinema professor and director. Şekeroğlu, one of Turkey's first cinema professors, is also the founder of Turkey's first cinema club, Kulübü Sinema 7, and the Turkish Film Archive.

Sami Şekeroğlu was born on February 26, 1937 in the Hüseynik village of Harput, as it was known at that time. His mother is Bedriye and his father is Ali Feyzi Efendi, who is known for his voice in the region. Şekeroğlu's childhood was spent in his family's vineyards in Elazığ. Şekeroğlu studied primary school in Hüseynik, secondary school in Elazığ and, for a while, in the secondary school section of Ankara Atatürk High School. Şekeroğlu, who started his education at Elazığ High School after his secondary school education, took lessons from educators such as Muhibbe Darga, Memnune Bildik, Vahap Kışoğlu and Şükrü Kapucu. Şekeroğlu, who staged many theater plays in high school, was also interested in cinema, literature and painting.

Şekeroğlu, who came to Istanbul after his high school education, passed the exam held by the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts, as it was known at that time, and enrolled in the "Department of High Painting". Here he took lessons from names such as Bedri Rahmi Eyüpoğlu, Ahmet Kutsi Tecer and Ali Avni Çelebi. During his university education, he met names such as Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca and Abdi İpekçi and started writing articles in Yön Magazine. Şekeroğlu also organized many conferences and poetry matinees during this period. Regarding a poetry matinee to which Atilla İlhan was invited, İlhan said about this invitation: "I think I read twenty-twenty-five poems, we came out almost standing on shoulders. If you ask me, if there is an Atilla İlhan myth, it started there." He emphasized the importance of the matinee, of which Sami Şekeroğlu was one of the organizers. 

He was the founder of the "DGSA| State Fine Arts Academy Film Archive" by transferring the "Turkish Film Archive", which he founded, to the Academy with all his assets, free of charge, in 1969. The institution became a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) in 1967 and was accepted as an authorized and full member in 1973.

He started his first cinema training in 1974. He established the first Cinema Museum within the Mimar Sinan University Cinema-TV Center. In 1985, he received the Ministry of Culture Cinema Award with his experimental short film "Soil Men", inspired by Neşet Günal's paintings.

In 2023, he was deemed worthy of the Turkish Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Awards in the field of cinema.

He is married to Duygu Şekeroğlu and has two children.