Village woman directs football star Ronaldo’s Turkish commercial
ISTANBUL
It’s a long way from Arslanköy, a village in the southern province of Mersin, to Madrid, but one village woman has made the journey – to appear no less in a commercial with four-time world men’s footballer of the year Cristiano Ronaldo.Ümmiye Koçak, the founder of the Arslanköy Women’s Theater Group, directed and appeared in an ad with the Real Madrid and Portugal star Ronaldo for Turkey’s Türk Telekom.
Koçak, who was also declared the best Eurasian actress in cinema at the New York Eurasian Film Festival in 2014, directed and took a role in the commercial at Ronaldo’s house in Spain.
In the commercial, Ronaldo encourages everyone to follow their dreams.
Türk Telekom’s deputy director general of marketing, Hakan Dursun, said they as a company would maintain their current strategy, noting that they would continue to make commercials that present success stories.
“Our main wish is to inspire people with success stories. We will continue to present light-hearted success stories from the 81 provinces of Turkey,” he said.
Born in 1957 in a village in Adana, Koçak was unable to continue her education after primary school in a family with 10 siblings. After completing primary school, however, she read many books for her own self-development, the first and most crucial being “The Mother” by Maxim Gorky.
Koçak moved to the village of Arslanköy after getting married, and there she formed the “Arslanköy Women’s Theater Group” in 2001 to raise awareness about the lives of women in rural areas.
She later wrote and directed “Wool Doll” after saving the money she earned by working in the fields in Arslanköy.
Koçak, who was also declared the best Eurasian actress in cinema at the New York Eurasian Film Festival in 2014, directed and took a role in the commercial at Ronaldo’s house in Spain.
In the commercial, Ronaldo encourages everyone to follow their dreams.
Türk Telekom’s deputy director general of marketing, Hakan Dursun, said they as a company would maintain their current strategy, noting that they would continue to make commercials that present success stories.
“Our main wish is to inspire people with success stories. We will continue to present light-hearted success stories from the 81 provinces of Turkey,” he said.
Born in 1957 in a village in Adana, Koçak was unable to continue her education after primary school in a family with 10 siblings. After completing primary school, however, she read many books for her own self-development, the first and most crucial being “The Mother” by Maxim Gorky.
Koçak moved to the village of Arslanköy after getting married, and there she formed the “Arslanköy Women’s Theater Group” in 2001 to raise awareness about the lives of women in rural areas.
She later wrote and directed “Wool Doll” after saving the money she earned by working in the fields in Arslanköy.
