The concept of cinematheque was institutionalized thanks to the founding of the Cinémathèque française by Henri Langlois in 1936. Having one of the world’s largest film collections, the Cinémathèque française became a model for many cinematheques that followed.
Inspired by the Cinémathèque française, a group consisting of Onat Kutlar, Hüseyin Baş, and Şakir Eczacıbaşı, later joined by figures such as Sabahattin Eyüboğlu, Cevat Çapan, Nijat Özön, and Muhsin Ertuğrul, founded Türk Sinematek Derneği (the Turkish Cinematheque Association) on August 25, 1965.
Turkish Cinematheque not only organized film screenings but also played a vital role in the development of film literacy through its journal Yeni Sinema (New Cinema). However, this invaluable institution in Turkey’s cultural life was shut down following the September 12, 1980 coup, together with all other associations.
Inspired by the legacy of the Turkish Cinematheque Association, the Sinematek/Sinema Evi project was established by Kadıköy Municipality under the leadership of Jak Şalom—who had previously been involved in cinematheques both in Turkey and France. The seeds of the project were first sown in 2016 with the event “The Cinematheque Lives! 50 Films, 50 Presentations on the 50th Anniversary”, curated by Jak Şalom to mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Cinematheque Association. The first collective screenings under the name Sinematek/Sinema Evi were held at a movie theatre at Kadıköy in 2019, and following the completion of its new building’s construction, the institution was officially opened on November 13, 2021.