Leslie Bates-Büyüktürkoğlu
Leslie Bates-Büyüktürkoğlu is an American film producer. She was born in Los Angeles and is an American with dual American and Turkish citizenship. It was while she was in Rome that she began her career in the arts, first in music and theatre. After a couple of years there, she moved to writing and the production side of entertainment in San Diego after getting a degree in Marketing and English Literature from San Diego State.
Career in Turkey
After she received her JD from Lincoln Law School in 1985 did she move to Turkey, Diyarbakir as a civilian contract specialist for the American government. Over her 15 years in Turkey, she taught English and contract law, she also represented American companies in the military market, and repaired helicopters for the Turkish Army. She also worked as a legal and technical consultant for several Turkish and American companies, including Etap Holding (previously Coca Cola Turkey) of Izmir and Allied Signal of New Jersey.
Career in the US
Leslie married Aclan Bates, an actor and director with the Turkish National Theatre. During that time, she became a Turkish citizen. In 1999, Aclan and Leslie decided to try life in the States and moved to Los Angeles, and into the American entertainment industry. Both immediately enrolled at American Film Institute, Leslie in the screenwriting program, and Aclan in Directing, becoming the first couple to start and finish AFI together, and Aclan became the first Turk to obtain a Masters in Directing from AFI.
Leslie’s latest project was the film, “Broken Angel,” based on Chicago novelist, Tulay Pirlant's “Ruzgarli Sehir,” shot in Los Angeles. This film is the first Turkish-American production of a popular feature film portraying Turks and Turkish Culture in a positive way.
Filmography
Year |
Title |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
2000/1 |
Versus |
screenwriter |
2002 |
Condemned |
screenwriter/mask designer |
2002 |
A Midsummer Night's Rave |
executive producer |
2008 |
Broken Angel |
producer/screenwriter |