The premiere of the film "Sadık Ahmet" held in Istanbul

The premiere screening of the TRT co-production film "Sadık Ahmet", which deals with the life of Komotini-born medical doctor and politician Sadık Ahmet, who devoted his life to the struggle for the rights of Western Thrace Turks, was held at Atatürk Cultural Centre.

Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer, Kırklareli Governor Birol Ekici, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services Yavuz Selim Kıran, Chairman of the Grand Union Party Mustafa Destici, Chairman of the Friendship, Equality and Peace Party Çiğdem Asafoğlu, President of Turks Abroad and Related Communities Abdullah Eren, Dr. Sadık Ahmet's wife Işık Sadıkahmet, Sadık Ahmet's son Levent Sadıkahmet, his daughter Funda Sadıkahmet, the film crew and many guests from the world of culture and arts attended the gala hosted by TRT General Director Mehmet Zahid Sobacı.

"Sadık Ahmet shouted to the world that the Turkish nation cannot be ignored"

Speaking at the press conference held before the premiere, TRT General Director Mehmet Zahid Sobacı stated that Sadık Ahmet was the leader of Western Thrace Turks and said, "In addition to broadcasting activities, cinema is one of the areas that TRT attaches particular importance to. TRT co-productions contribute a lot to both Turkish and world cinema and with its support, TRT pioneers the transfer of many projects to the big screen."

Sobacı emphasised that TRT has achieved many successes in the national and international arena and said, "One of the most important indicators of this is that TRT is returning with awards from world-famous festivals."

Underlining that TRT endeavours to make works with a problem and mission in co-productions, Sobacı gave the following information:

"The last of those mission-laden works is our Sadık Ahmet film. Because Sadık Ahmet is a person of struggle who dedicated his life to announce the cause of Western Thrace to the world. Sadık Ahmet is a character who undertook the responsibility of defending the right to live humanely, especially at a time when Western Thrace Turks were trying to be assimilated. He was tried and sentenced to imprisonment for this purpose. But he remained loyal to his nation, his cause and his belief until his last breath. A character who set an example with his struggle and shouted to the world that the Turkish nation will never be ignored."

Zahid Sobacı said that it was a matter of pride that Sadık Ahmet's life was transferred to the white screen and added, "The film Sadık Ahmet is also a declaration for TRT that our identity will never be allowed to be overshadowed and our independence will never be restricted."

"We transferred a very valuable hero of our recent history to the silver screen"

Director Hakan Yonat, who made a statement to AA correspondent, stated that he was proud to take part in the film and said, "We worked with a magnificent cast. It gave us a separate comfort. The support provided to us by our producers was also magnificent."

Yonat stated that they shot the film in Edirne and said, "The sensitivity and help of the people of Edirne was very nice. It was a difficult project because we tried to transfer a very valuable hero and personality of our recent history to the silver screen. We created a film by trying to construct his sentences as accurately as we could."

Ozan Akbaba, who plays Ali Müminoğlu in the film, noted that they made a very nice project and said, "We shed light on the life of a person whose value and worth is known by the people he was with at the time, but unfortunately not known in Turkey and Turkish geography. I hope that with this film, we will make sure that the value he deserves is known."

"Sadık Ahmet is a hero that the whole world should recognise"

Taner Rumeli, who plays İbrahim Şerif, Mufti of Komotini, said: "We are part of a very important story. Sadık Ahmet is a hero that the whole world should recognise with his cause, his struggle, his life story and his perspective on life."

Rumeli said about Sadık Ahmet's struggle for the Western Thrace Turks: "It is a very important struggle that can be an example for all the peoples of the world. His life, his cause, the way he handled his cause and the things he did for his cause are very important. In that respect, I think it will be an inspiring film."

The film, starring Turgay Aydın, Nur Fettahoğlu, Erkan Can, Erdal Beşikçioğlu, Uğur Yücel and İlker Aksum, will be released on 2 February.

The premiere of the film was attended by the family of Dr. Sadik Ahmet, FEP Party President Çiğdem Asafoğlu, Kozlukebir Mayor Erdem Hüseyin, WTMUGA President Hüseyin Baltacı, GTGB President Sedat Hasan, BAKEŞ General Director Pervin Hayrullah, ABTTTF President Halit Habipoğlu, BTTDD President Hasan Küçük, Western Thrace Fenerbahce Association President Mümin Hasan.