Candan Sabuncu

Born smack in the middle of World War II, in Ödemiş, Izmir, Candan Sabuncu didn’t just waltz into Turkish cinema—she pretty much carved out her own corner in it. Her face? Instantly recognizable for anyone who’s ever stumbled across those old black-and-white classics on a lazy Sunday. She was the kind of actress who didn't just play a role, she owned it. Whether it was the raw emotion in “Sevinç Gözyaslari” or the sheer chaos of “Perisan,” she made you feel like you were right there, tangled up in the drama. The '60s were wild for Turkish cinema, and Candan was smack in the thick of it. “Çalikusu,” for example, wasn’t just another flick—it was a big deal, and her performance turned a lot of heads. Her name kept popping up alongside some of the most respected filmmakers and actors of her time. But she wasn’t just about the glitz. Off the screen, she had her own stories, her own loves—married to Rekin Teksoy and Basar Sabuncu, both pretty notable in their own right. She lived through decades of shifting culture and film, watched the world change, and kept her own style through it all. When she passed away in Istanbul at the end of 2018, it wasn’t just another obituary—Turkish cinema lost a serious gem. People still talk about her work, and honestly, you can’t blame them. She just had that spark.