{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{short description|French film Director}} {{Infobox person | name = Meta Akkus | image = Meta 1 1.jpg | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = Turkey | height = 1.7 m | alma_mater = Central St Martins | occupation = {{flatlist| * Film Director * Producer * Writer}} | years_active = 1998–present | website = https://metaakkus.net/ }}
'''Meta Akkus''' is a French–Turkish film director, screenwriter, author, and producer. She is best known for her fantasy family film Make A Wish (Bir Dilek Tut)<ref>{{cite web | title=Ein News Desk. |url=https://www.einnews.com/amp/pr_news/518128840/director-meta-akkus-signs-on-for-us-projects |website=einnews.com |accessdate=28 May 2020}}</ref>
== Early life == Meta Akkus, born in Turkey, grew up in Paris, France.<ref>{{cite web |title=Akkus to weave Fateful Pattern |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/138097/ |website=cineuropa.org |date=9 March 2010 |publisher=by Naman Ramachandran |accessdate=14 April 2020}}</ref> She went to Middle School Béranger, located in Le Marais. There she joined the school's theater and studied acting for the next seven years, performing in different classical plays.<ref name=Indigo/>
In the last year of middle school, Akkus was assigned, by her history teacher, to direct a documentary about World War II students that were deported to concentration camps from her school, Beranger, in 1940.<ref name=milliyet/>
At the age of 17, Akkus dropped out of Henri-Bergson high school in Paris, put her acting on hold, to write and direct her first play, "Le Temps N'Existe Pas".<ref name="nouvart">{{cite web |title=Meta Akkus interview, second book "Abrakadabra", Bir Dilek Tut. |url=https://www.nouvart.net/meta-akkus-hayatimda-beni-yonlendiren-tek-sey-ilham-oldu/ |website=nouvart.net |accessdate=14 April 2020 |date=14 September 2018}}</ref>
Akkus directs her first short film, La Solitude{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}, at the age of 18. This led her to move to London, to study and work in films.<ref name="unifrance">{{cite web |title=Meta Akkus unifrance Link, La Peur. |url=https://www.unifrance.org/annuaires/personne/334471/meta-akkus# |website=unifrance.org |accessdate=14 April 2020}}</ref><ref name=sabah1>{{cite web |title=SABAH – Paris'te genç bir yönetmen |url=https://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2004/04/02/cp/gnc105-20040327-101.html |website=arsiv.sabah.com.tr}}</ref>
== Film career == In London, Akkus attended directing classes at Panico Film, she then continued at Central St Martins. She worked as a runner on the set of the James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough, directed by Michael Apted<ref name=Indigo>{{cite web |last1=Held |first1=Deniz Alan |title=Meta Akkuş ve Aşktan Ötürü: Genç bir kadının biriktirdikleri |url=https://indigodergisi.com/2017/10/meta-akkus-asktan-oturu/ |website=İndigo Dergisi |language=tr |date=23 October 2017}}</ref>
Her next assignment as an assistant director working on various productions including an advertising campaign for Micron PC, directed by Terry Gilliam, for Radical Media.
She learned how to edit films at Swordfish Editing in Soho, working as an assistant editor for over a year, where she produced, directed, and edited her second short film, Unsatisfaction{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} on 35mm. This short was bought by Canal+ for television broadcast.
BBD Productions, Paris signed her as one of their three exclusive commercial directors, the other two being Luc Besson and Jean-Paul Goude. At BBD, Akkus directed many commercials and music videos around the world, for such global Luxury Brands as Chanel, Lux, Evian, Mini Cooper, Paşabahçe, BP, and Pınar.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
Meta Akkus participated in the 5th International Izmir Short Film Festival in November 2004 with her short films La Peur, Zero Tues and Unsatisfaction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Film Festivalleri, 5th International Izmir Short Film Festival |url=http://www.kameraarkasi.org/festivaller/izmir_05.html |website=www.kameraarkasi.org |accessdate=24 April 2020}}</ref>
In Cape Town, Akkus directed advertisements for Group Saur, where she created a whole African village and showed people carrying water from every corner of the Earth to Africa.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kameraarkasi.org/yonetmenler/metaakkus.html |date=2010|title= Meta Akkus info and interview|website=kameraarkasi.org (milliyet.com.tr) Yiğit KARAAHMET |accessdate=28 March 2020}}</ref>
In 2009–2010, Akkus directed the interview scenes in the documentary, Turkish Passport, about World War II, Turkish-Jewish survivors.<ref name=milliyet>{{cite web |title=Hayatlarını kurtaran Türk diplomatları unutmadılar (Son Tren) |url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/dunya/hayatlarini-kurtaran-turk-diplomatlari-unutmadilar-995701 |website=milliyet.com.tr |accessdate=14 April 2020 |date=25 September 2008}}</ref>
Akkus started and directed a music video for a Copenhagen based pop trio band Who Made Who for their song.
She is the author of two published books, in Turkey, ''Aşktan Ötürü'' and ''Abrakadabra''.<ref name=Indigo /><ref name="nouvart"/>
Akkus directed four music videos for the Turkish rock singer, "Kiraç"{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}. For whom, she wrote and directed a short film for his song "Senden Başka" a story about a boy's love for his mother, which airs on Turkish Television Channels every year on Mother's Day.<ref name=sabah1/>
Meta Akkus wrote, produced, and directed her first feature film "Make A Wish" (Bir Dilek Tut) in 2022. Make A Wish, a magical coming-of-age film, for family audiences, telling the story of a 12-year-old boy "Berke" who uncovers the secret of how to make his wishes come true .<ref name="nouvart"/> She started pre-production in Istanbul. She shot it in Mardin, an ancient Roman town near the Turkish border with Syria.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://mardinsoz.com/haber/mardinde-bir-dilek-tut-filmi-cekimleri-basladi-14685.html |title= News "Mardin´de 'Bir Dilek Tut' Filmi çekimleri başladı" |date= 1 July 2018 |website= mardinsoz.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mardinarena.com/haber-mardin-de-bir-dilek-tut-filmi-cekimleri-basladi.-45430.html |title= News "Mardin´de 'Bir Dilek Tut' Filmi çekimleri başladı." |date= 1 July 2018 |website= mardinarena.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.artukluhaber.net/haber-bir-dilek-tut-filminin-cekimlerine-mardin-de-baslandI-37253.html |title= News "Bir Dilek Tut Filminin Çekimlerine Mardin'de Başlandı." |date= 30 June 2018 |website= artukluhaber.net |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.haber7.com/foto-galeri/54348-yapimcilarin-gozde-sehri-mardin/p1 |title= Mardin, Bir Dilek Tut movie shooting news, photo 1–14. |date= 2 September 2018 |website= haber7.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ntv.com.tr/sanat/bir-dilek-tut-filmi-motor-dedi,QIz-hgAvT0C3X1olQ2qoZA |title= News "Bir Dilek Tut filmi 'motor' dedi." |date= 4 July 2018 |website= ntv.com.tr |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://beyazgazete.com/video/webtv/guncel-1/bir-dilek-tut-filmi-motor-dedi-563570.html |title= News "Bir Dilek Tut filmi 'motor' dedi." |date= 4 July 2018 |website=beyazgazete.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.trthaber.com/haber/kultur-sanat/mardin-yapimcilarin-gozde-sehri-oldu-374268.html/amp |title= 'Mardin yapımcıların gözde şehri oldu' Bir Dilek Tut movie shooting news and photos. |date= 9 July 2018 |website=trthaber.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.istanbulhaber.com.tr/bir-dilek-tut-filmi-motor-dedi-haber-987986.htm |title= News "Bir Dilek Tut filmi 'motor' dedi. |date= 4 July 2018 |website=istanbulhaber.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mynet.com/amp/tarihi-sehir-mardin-yapimcilarin-gozdesi-oldu-sinema-44230 |title= News 'Tarihi şehir Mardin yapımcıların gözdesi oldu' |date= 11 July 2018 |website=mynet.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref> Her film "Make a Wish" Bir Dilek Tut is a semi-finalist at Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kelebek/hayat/bir-dilek-tut-adim-adim-oscara-gidiyor-42111717 |title= News "Bir Dilek Tut Oscar'a gidiyor. |date= 3 August 2022 |website=Hurriyet.com.tr |accessdate= 3 August 2022 }}</ref>
== Filmography ==
=== Feature films === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Director !Producer !Writer !Notes |- |2022 | Make A Wish<ref name=fragmanlarBDT>{{cite web |url= https://www.fragmanlar.com/bir-dilek-tut-fragmani |title= Make A Wish (Bir Dilek Tut) fragman link. |date= 2 September 2018 |website=fragmanlar.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref> | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Co-written with Avni Tuna Dilligil Starring Altan Erkekli<br />Vildan Atasever<br />İhsan Berk AydınCinematographer Joan Bordera<ref>{{cite web |title=Joan Bordera official |url=https://www.joanbordera.com/ |website=Joan Bordera |accessdate=14 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=MAKE A WISH / Feature Film |url=https://www.joanbordera.com/make-a-wish |website=Joan Bordera |accessdate=14 April 2020}}</ref> |}
=== Short films === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Director !Writer !Notes |- |1998 |''La Solitude''|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Produced. Starring Zoe Coussoneau.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} |- |2003 |''Unsatisfaction''|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Starring Helen Le Bohec Cinematographer Philipp Blaubach |- |2005 |''La Peur''<ref name=unifrance/>|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Starring Karina BeutheAudrey Caillaud,<ref>{{cite web |title=Audrey Caillaud |url=https://www.unifrance.org/annuaires/personne/334475/audrey-caillaud |website=www.unifrance.org |accessdate=14 April 2020 |language=fr}}</ref> Cinematographer Jean Poisson |- |2006 |''La Muette''|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Starring Zoe Duchesne& Jean Christophe Gra Cinematographer Vincent Mathias |}
=== Commercials === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Director !Writer !Company !Notes |- |2004 |''Group Saur''|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Group Saur |Note shot in Cape Town |- |2006|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Chanel |Starring Zoe Duchesne{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} Cinematographer Jean Poisson |- |rowspan="2" |2007 |''CK'' || {{yes}} |CK |Starring Zoe Duchesne, Romulo Pires{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} |- |''Lux Soap]''|| {{yes}} | |Lux Soap |Vincent Mathias |- |2008 |''Mini BMW''|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Mini BMW |Starring Meta Akkus & Jan Schunke |- |2015 |''Pasabahce Omnia''|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} |Pasabahce | |}
== Further reading == * [https://www.kitapyurdu.com/kitap/asktan-oturu/383186.html&manufacturer_id=185004 Aşktan Ötürü (2016)].<ref name=Indigo /><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.haberturk.com/kultur-sanat/haber/1177078-meta-akkus-yazarliga-soyundu |title= News "Meta Akkuş yazarlığa soyundu.". |date= 6 January 2016 |website=haberturk.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kelebek/magazin/fotograf-cekimi-icin-londraya-gitti-klipte-oynadi-4005262 |title= News "Fotoğraf çekimi için Londra'ya gitti klipte oynadı." |date= 10 February 2016 |website=hurriyet.com.tr |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.magazinci.com/icerikler/sinema/unlu-yonetmenden-yazarliga-ilk-adim_51419.htm |title= The first step to writing |date= 18 January 2016 |website=magazinci.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ali |first1=Eyüpoğlu |title=Okunması gereken Kitaplar |url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/cadde/ali-eyuboglu/senaryolari-calindi-onlar-da-filmini-yapti-2204779 |website=milliyet.com.tr |accessdate=14 April 2020 |date=6 March 2016}}</ref> Meta Akkuş.RETRO BASIM YAYIN.volume 160. release date:2016-02-22. {{ISBN|((6058677043))}} * [https://www.kitapyurdu.com/kitap/abrakadabra/466260.html&manufacturer_id=185004 Abrakadabra (2018)].<ref name="nouvart"/><ref>{{cite web |url= https://indigodergisi.com/2018/08/meta-akkus-abrakadabra/ |title= News "Meta Akkuş'un ikinci kitabı: Abrakadabra" |date= 12 August 2018 |website=indigodergisi.com |accessdate= 29 March 2020 }}</ref> Meta Akkuş.THE BEST FILMS PRODUCTIONS.volume 116. release date:2018-06-19. {{ISBN|((6058144903))}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://metaakkus.net/}}
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Akkus, Meta}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century Turkish women writers Category:Turkish women film directors Category:Turkish women screenwriters Category:21st-century Turkish screenwriters Category:Immigrants to France