Directed by Özgür Dağ
Considered the founder of Turkish theatre as a discipline in the Western sense, Ertuğrul Muhsin was also a leading figure in the foundation and development of Turkish cinema and the only producer of Turkish films between 1922 and 1939. While he understood cinema’s potential an instrument for social change - his 1923 film Ateşten Gömlek was the first film in which a Muslim women appeared – he was also accused of maintaining a stifling monopoly in this early period of Turkish Cinema. So, was he a pioneer or an obstacle? Through interviews with such respected figures as Haldun Dormen, Ayla Algan and Efdal Sevinçli, plus a huge amount of material from both public and private archives, including posters, photos, and clips from some of the first films ever produced in Turkey, Özgür Dağ’s documentary seeks to answer the question, “Who was Ertuğrul Mühsin Bey?”
Özgür Dağ was born in 1971 in Malkara, Tekirdağ. After finishing high school, he travelled to Russia, where he spent two years studying acting and drama at Gorky University in Russia. He subsequently returned to Turkey, where he graduated from Istanbul University’s Department of Radio, Television and Cinema. A year of training at Istanbul City Theaters’ Theater Research Laboratory followed. In addition to his 15 years as an actor with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Theaters, Dağ has had roles in a number of television series and feature films. Ertuğrul Mühsin Bey: A Hero of Passion is his first stint behind the camera.
