Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk to collaborate with Turkish director for 1st time

Orhan Pamuk’s acclaimed novel “Museum of Innocence” is being adapted into a Netflix mini-series directed by Turkish filmmaker Zeynep Gunay Tan. This collaboration marks a departure from Pamuk’s past preference to work only with foreign directors.

According to an anecdote shared in producer Sabahattin Cetin’s book, when director Serif Goren once approached Pamuk to adapt his novel “Snow”, the author declined, stating, “I don’t want Turkish directors.”

Orhan Pamuk’s beloved story finally heads to screen

“The Museum of Innocence” series, produced by Ay Yapim, will run as a nine-episode mini-series. The script, penned by Ertan Kurtulan, reportedly aligns strictly with Pamuk’s creative vision, ensuring that no changes are made without his approval.

The story captures the passionate, troubled romance of Kemal, a wealthy Istanbul native, and his distant relative, Fusun, a young woman from a modest background. Kemal will be portrayed by actor Selahattin Pasali, with Eylul Lize Kandemir as Fusun, and Oya Unustasi as Kemal’s fiance.

Years of refusing Turkish directors

Pamuk, the Nobel Prize-winning author, has long maintained that his works would adapt well to film or television. However, apart from the 1991 film “The Secret Face,” which he co-wrote with Omer Kavur, and the documentary “The Innocence of Memories” created with English filmmaker Grant Gee, his works have yet to see any substantial film adaptation.

Producer Sabahattin Cetin’s 2021 book “Remembering, Memories of Cinema and Politics” reveals that Pamuk’s absence from cinema was not due to a lack of interest but rather to his insistence on working with international directors.

Unexpected meeting and humbling turn

In his book, Cetin recalls Pamuk’s first refusal of a Turkish adaptation of “Snow”. In the early 2000s, Cetin and cultural figure Osman Kavala met with Pamuk to discuss potential adaptations, specifically with Serif Goren as director.

Pamuk, however, dismissed the proposal, mentioning past creative challenges with Omer Kavur and stating, “If you find a foreign director, then we can talk.” Later efforts to connect Pamuk with Greek-French director Costa-Gavras, known for his politically charged films, also fell through as Costa-Gavras felt the story was not suited to his vision.

Netflix’s ambitious new production for global audience

The highly-anticipated “Museum of Innocence” project, now shaped as a Netflix series, reflects Pamuk’s growing openness to Turkish talent in bringing his work to life. A previous adaptation by Amazon Prime Video was rumored but never materialized, and other production companies had also expressed interest.

With Pamuk now approving Netflix’s plan, fans are eager for the series, which marks Pamuk’s first major collaboration with a Turkish director, confirming his change of heart. The release date for “Museum of Innocence” has not yet been announced.