Only a few films were made until 2004 since the 60s and 70s but this year more than 50 films were in theaters in Turkey.

"This is a new record for Turkish film industry," Abdurrahman Celik, head of Turkish Culture Ministry's department for cinema and copyrights, said on Monday.

"And also, the quality of Turkish films has improved," Celik said. "Our criterion is the international arena. The number of international prizes in 2008 is almost as the same as the number of prizes Turkish films won since the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923."

Several Turkish films, such as Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Uc Maymun" (Three Monkey's), Ozer Kiziltan's "Takva" (A Man's Fear of God), and Fatih Akin's "Yasamin Kiyisinda" (The Edge of Heaven) won international prizes at several film festivals, including best director award for Nuri Bilge Ceylan at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

Turkish film industry also thrives inside the country. Several films have done well at the box office and outpaced Hollywood blockbusters.

"Recep Ivedik", a film by Sahan and Togan Gokbahar brothers, has drawn over 4.3 million people to theaters in 31 weeks and it holds the title of the "most watched" Turkish film in history.

"Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak" (Valley of the Wolves: Iraq) and "G.O.R.A" --a sequel (A.R.O.G) to be in theaters this week-- followed it with over 4 millions of audiences for each in 2008.

Apart from all these, Turkey plans a tax cut to attract and encourage foreign producers to shoot their films at studios in Turkey, a move which is believed to help promote Turkey.

Turkish parliament is soon expected to pass a bill to make necessary legal arrangements to draw Hollywood producers.


AA