The funeral program for Osman Sınav has been announced.

21.03.2025 11:00

The master of Turkish television and cinema, director and producer Osman Sınav, has passed away after losing his battle with cancer. Sınav, who was 69 years old, has had his funeral arrangements announced. His funeral prayer will be held on Saturday, March 22, following the afternoon prayer at the Mosque of the Faculty of Theology at Marmara University.

One of the prominent figures in the Turkish television and cinema world, director and producer Osman Sınav, lost his battle with cancer and passed away at the age of 69. The funeral program for the late Osman Sınav has been announced.

Osman Sınav, who has signed countless unforgettable projects in the Turkish television and cinema world, succumbed to cancer after a long struggle and closed his eyes to life at the age of 69. The news of the master director's passing caused deep sorrow in the art community and among his fans.

The details of Osman Sınav's funeral have been revealed. Sınav's funeral prayer will be held on Saturday, March 22, following the afternoon prayer at the Marmara University Faculty of Theology Mosque.

THE ART TEACHER CHANGED HIS LIFE

Regarded as one of the cornerstones of Turkish cinema history with his career and works, Sınav was born in 1956 in Yeşilova Village, Burdur, to a village imam father and a housewife mother. His art journey began with his art teacher, whom he referred to as "my father," during his primary education at a boarding school in Söke.

HE STARTED HIS CAREER IN ADVERTISING

After completing high school, Sınav studied painting and textile design, followed by cinema and television education at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts, now known as Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.

Starting his career in the advertising sector as a copywriter and director, Sınav worked as a copywriter at Man Agency before continuing his advertising career at an agency called Grafika Lintas between 1980 and 1984. In 1984, Sınav founded his own company, Sinegraf Film Production/Management, and shot over 500 commercials between 1984 and 1987.

HE GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSITY WITH THE FILM "LONG STORY"

Ending his long-term advertising experience with commercials and campaigns in 1987, Sınav's main goal was to make a feature film.

Later, Osman Sınav transferred his excitement and knowledge of visual arts to cinema, directing films such as "The Death of a Writer," "False Dawn," "Carousel," "A Day of the Sultan," "Little World," "No One Loves," and "Liar" for television, starting in 1987.

For cinema, he also directed films like "Opening the Doors," "Guerrilla," "Crazy Heart: Boomerang Hell," and "Pars: Cherry Operation," and adapted Mustafa Kutlu's work "Long Story" into a film of the same name. The film starred Kenan İmirzalioğlu and Tuğçe Kazaz in the lead roles.

Sınav graduated from the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University GSF Cinema-TV Center Prof. Sami Şekeroğlu Workshop, where he enrolled in 1978 and returned due to an amnesty law, in the 2011-2012 academic year with the film "Long Story." He received his diploma from his teacher Prof. Dr. Sami Şekeroğlu during the center's 50th-anniversary celebration.

HE WON EVERYONE'S APPRECIATION WITH "SUPER DAD"

In 1991, Osman Sınav focused on television series. Establishing himself as a master director, he became the producer and director of 25 beloved series, including "Super Dad," "Crazy Heart," "Life Ties," "Bread Factory," "Bitter Life," "Valley of the Wolves," "Sakarya Fırat," and "You Tell Black Sea."

The series "Super Dad," which Sınav started shooting in 1993, gained the appreciation of viewers aged 7 to 70. The master director, who played an important role in the careers of many famous names, directed "Liar" in 1994. The film brought Mehmet Aslantuğ the "Best Actor" award and Sınav the "Best Director" award at the Golden Orange Film Festival.

Sınav also directed other notable television series such as "Angel Apartment," "Blue Dreams," and "Hot Hours," and introduced the film "Guerrilla," starring Mehmet Aslantuğ and Ayşegül Aldinç, to the audience in 1998. Tomris Oğuzalp won the "Best Supporting Actress" award at the Golden Orange for her role in the film.

Osman Sınav was also one of the pioneers in Turkey of making films based on beloved television characters.

Discovering Kenan İmirzalioğlu, the master director believed he had a strong face, and their collaboration began with the series "Crazy Heart," which attracted great interest from television viewers in 1999. Due to the interest, Sınav took the camera for the film adaptation of the series in 2001, achieving box office success with "Crazy Heart: Boomerang Hell."

HE REACHED THE PEAK WITH "VALLEY OF THE WOLVES"

In 2002, Sınav signed the beloved series "Bread Factory," featuring a cast that included Mazhar Alanson and Savaş Dinçel. He also directed and produced the series "Valley of the Wolves," which is significant in Turkish television history and broke rating records, up to its 55th episode.

After leaving the direction of the series, which is based on relationships developed around the mafia and deep state, Sınav took the camera for "Opening the Doors" and a new version of Metin Erksan's classic "Bitter Life."

In addition to directing, Osman Sınav produced "Pars: Cherry Operation," which features a remarkable cast, including Mehmet Kurtuluş, known from Fatih Akın's "Short and Painful," and Udo Kier, who has appeared in films like "Dogville" and "The Batman," with special effects that drew attention.

Despite receiving all kinds of criticism, the film was considered highly successful as an action film. Many film critics agreed that it was the best Turkish action film ever made.

After "Pars," Sınav directed the series "Pusat," starring Haluk Piyes. This boxing series, which was a first in Turkey in terms of its subject matter, bid farewell to the screens with a surprise finale in the 13th episode, as it could not achieve the quality the master director aimed for, despite its high ratings.

Sınav's series were not only popular in Turkey but also enjoyed by audiences in many countries.

HE NEVER GAVE UP WORKING THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER

Among the recent series signed by the master producer and director are "Yalaza," "Inadına Aşk," "Kızılelma," "Hatasız Kul Olmaz," and "You Tell Black Sea."

The latest works of Sınav include the series "Yalnız Kurt" starring Cihan Ünal and "Kör Nokta".

Sınav, who is also a member of the Directors Association and the Television and Cinema Film Producers Union, has taught as a lecturer in the Cinema and Television Department at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.

Director Ahmet Çadırcı stated in an interview that Osman Sınav adapts his films inspired by American cinema to his own culture and enriches them with psychological motifs.

Throughout his career, Sınav, who never tires of working and constantly produces, said in an interview, "I have always chased my own dreams, I have experienced a lot, but I am still at the very beginning, there is so much more to do. People who do not dream of their own dreams can never be successful; they should always dream of their own dreams, even if they stumble, and as the poet said, 'even if I fall ninety-nine times, I will get up again'."