Hülya Koçyiğit Calls Susuz Yaz Her “First Love”
The Yeşilçam actress debuted at 15 in the original film and now welcomes Kanal D's new series.
Veteran actress Hülya Koçyiğit says the new Kanal D series Susuz Yaz has stirred old memories. She made her screen debut at 15 in the original Susuz Yaz film, and she calls it her “first love”. She spoke about it on the Kanal D programme Pazar Gezmesi, according to Hürriyet.
Koçyiğit said she watched the promotional trailer for the new series. She was excited that the story is returning to screens after so many years.
Why Susuz Yaz Matters to Koçyiğit
Koçyiğit described the film as the turning point of her career. In the programme, hosted by Asiye Acar, she also shared memories from the set.
The Hürriyet report calls her a leading figure of Yeşilçam, the name often used for the classic Turkish film industry. It says she appeared in about 200 films. Her debut film, Susuz Yaz, also won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
From Necati Cumalı’s Story to a New Series
The new Kanal D series is adapted from a work by the writer Necati Cumalı. The film that launched Koçyiğit’s career was directed by Metin Erksan and won the Golden Bear in 1964. That award is the top prize at Berlin.
The new series is a fresh adaptation for television, so viewers should not treat it as a remake of the film’s exact scenes. The source does not say how closely the series follows the earlier version. Neither Hürriyet nor Koçyiğit gave a broadcast date in this report.
Her Absence From Acting
Koçyiğit also explained why she has stayed away from acting. She said the mother roles offered to her were mostly scheming characters who try to split young couples. In her words, she could not see herself in that kind of part.
Her comments are a reminder of how long Susuz Yaz has stayed in Turkish screen culture. A first-time actress from the 1960s is now watching a new generation tell the story again.
Source: Hürriyet
Featured image: F.N. Broers (Anefo) / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
