Just a Woman (2019)

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Movie
Original title Just one woman
Country of production Germany
original language German , Turkish
Publishing year 2019
length 97 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Sherry Hormann
script Florian Oeller
production Sandra Maischberger
music Fabian Römer
camera Judith Kaufmann
cut Bettina Boehler
occupation

Nur eine Frau (international title A Regular Woman ) is a feature film by Sherry Hormann that was released in German cinemas on May 9, 2019. The film biography is about the life of the German-Kurdish Berliner Hatun Sürücü , who falls victim to a so-called honor killing by one of her brothers. Sandra Maischberger produced the feature film and the German-Turkish woman Almila Bagriacik took on the leading role .

action

Hatun “Aynur” Sürücü wants to lead a free, self-determined life, which is met with reluctance by her family. Her brothers in particular do not want to accept their “western” lifestyle. They repeatedly threaten and abuse her. Finally, Aynur files a complaint against her eldest brother and moves in with her child to a friend.

At first she works in a supermarket; then she decides to train as an electrician .

She begins to go dancing in the evening, takes off the headscarf and has lovers . One day she meets her great love Tim. He lovingly takes care of her son Can and rides his motorcycle with Hatun. Hatun keeps looking for contact with her family and hopes that the conflict can be resolved. The mother and sister Shirin meet Hatun in secret. The eldest brother keeps calling Hatun to insult and threaten her. Hatun downplayed the problem with Tim; but Tim can't stand the family terror and finally separates from her.

In the meantime, the brothers get advice from the mosque on how to deal with women who deviate from the “true path”. When Hatun's youngest brother Nuri visits her in her apartment for her birthday and notices that strange men are there, he leaves the party immediately without having given his present. That was the moment when he finally decided to kill Hatun, he says later.

One of the older brothers procures a pistol and Nuri shoots his sister at the bus stop near her home.

At the trial, Hatun's sister Shirin appears as a joint plaintiff and can thus give the brothers' defense lawyers access to the files. Only Nuri is sentenced to nine years in prison under juvenile law ; his brothers are acquitted. The family does not have custody of Hatun's son Can. He is placed in a foster family .

production

Almila Bagriacik played Hatun Aynur Sürücü from Turkey

The docudrama was directed by Sherry Hormann , the screenplay was written by Florian Oeller , based primarily on the non-fiction book by Matthias Deiß and Jo Goll , who interviewed the Sürücü family. The film was produced by the journalist and television presenter Sandra Maischberger .

The film received production funding of 200,000 euros from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and 100,000 euros from Nordmedia - Film- und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen / Bremen .

Almila Bagriacik took on the lead role from Aynur. Like her, the actress comes from a Turkish family, was born in Ankara in 1990 and came to Berlin when she was five. Meral Perin plays Aynur's mother Deniya, Mürtüz Yolcu her father Rohat. Her brother Tarik, who works as a soldier in the German Armed Forces, is played by Aram Arami . The young actor Rauand Taleb plays Nuri, Aynur's little brother who carries out the "honor killing".

Filming began on August 8, 2018 and ended after 23 days of shooting on September 7, 2018. Judith Kaufmann acted as camerawoman . The editing was done by the film editor Bettina Böhler .

The film was shown on February 9, 2019 in the LOLA at Berlinale series of the Berlin International Film Festival for accredited members of the European Film Market . On April 27, 2019, the film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival as part of the international competition. The German premiere took place on May 2nd at the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Film Festival . On May 9, 2019, he came to German cinemas in the distribution / sales department of NFP - neue film produktion and The Match Factory . At the end of July 2019 it was shown at the Jerusalem Film Festival . in August 2019 at the Melbourne International Film Festival, at the end of August 2019 at the Festival of German Films . The film was broadcast on Das Erste on January 29, 2020 .

Film and topic analysis

Film title and structure

Anke Westphal from epd film explains that the film title Just a Woman arouses various associations: “This is not just about the disdain and total tutelage of women in patriarchal-archaic structures, but also about the fact that many women in such a milieu do the same as Aynur was and is done to. "

The film is structured chronologically. The actress Almila Bagriacik , who took on the leading role of Aynur, comments from the off about her story of suffering. At the beginning of the film, the characters still speak Turkish to each other until the protagonist interjects, “Oh, you don't understand us” and they switch to German. Anke Westphal praises the concise comments from the off (“Quasi from the beyond”), which sometimes anticipate what is happening. In addition, the social drama would be rhythmized again and again by graphic elements such as text overlays and still photos and thus made a little more objective. The feature film is also the psychogram of a family. The actual plot of the game is often interrupted in its drama and thereby somewhat softened; so photos and home videos are cut in between with recordings of the real Hatun Sürücü , so to speak as moments of pause, so Westphal.

Producer Sandra Maischberger explains this approach as follows: “Mainly documentaries were made about this case . Above all, of course, they let the men who live have their say. So the murderer, the brothers. ”The aim of the film is to give Aynur a voice because she was waging a struggle that is still so present today and that many women are waging. At the same time, the film sketches how heartlessly all family members, including the sisters, treated the lively Aynur, who does not want to break with her family, according to Ceyda Nurtsch from Deutsche Welle : “It moves far from clichés like 'Western free world versus fanatical Muslim world ' , but is rather an indictment of the judiciary, which only convicts the youngest brother, who confesses the act and faces the slightest punishment. "

"Honor killings" in Germany

Hatun Sürücü's tombstone at the Gatow Landscape Cemetery

According to a study by the Federal Criminal Police Office, the “honor killing” of Hatun Sürücü is not an isolated case, but one of a dozen homicides that are committed each year in Germany “in the context of patriarchal family associations ”. Many Germans only became familiar with the term through media reports on this case. The story caused horror nationwide in 2005, and the term “honor killing” shaped the debates about integration and parallel society from then on. Jörg Lau von der Zeit said at the time that the case had cast a spotlight on the state of Germany as a country of immigration and asked: “Could it be that we are currently taking huge steps backwards in the integration of Turkish immigrants? Are Turkish families in the middle of Germany a legal vacuum for thousands of young girls and women? Is the image of women in Islam incompatible with our values ​​and legal system? Or is the moral and economic neglect of a culturally alien lower class the problem? ”In addition, Lau asked himself what is actually going on in the minds of young Turkish men for whom“ German women ”are apparently a synonym for“ whore ”.

Luitgard Koch from the Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater writes that the conflict of young migrant women between a self-determined western lifestyle and the strictly patriarchal traditions of their family has been an issue for a long time. Far from all clichés and prejudices, director Sherry Hormann illuminates the conflict from all sides and makes the turmoil of the characters and the fatal dependence on patriarchal-religious absolutism palpable. Hormann worked intensively on the perfidious paradox of the brutal crime "honor killing" and also showed the difficult legal processing of the case. The lawyer and women's rights activist Seyran Ateş pointed out that honor killings among Turks and Muslims are still welcomed in Germany. In addition, Ayhan Sürücü was hailed as a "martyr" in prison for the murder of his sister. For many people, however, Hatun Sürücü became a tragic heroine.

Feo Aladag processed the topic of “honor killings in Germany” on the basis of her research for Amnesty International with strong reference to the life of Hatun Sürücü 2010 into an internationally award-winning feature film.

Hatun Sürücü as a heroine

For director Sherry Hormann , Hatun Sürücü is a warrior

“Even if the resistance is so great and the circumstances so miserable: Find a way that makes you believe in yourself even more! She could do that and I think that's enormous. She is a warrior. "

- Director Sherry Hormann on Hatun Sürücü

Director Sherry Hormann , producer Sandra Maischberger and actress Almila Bagriacik have decided not to show Hatun Sürücü as a victim. According to Hormann, she should be remembered as a role model for being human. Bagriacik can remember a headline from the time: “She was murdered because she took off the headscarf.” The headscarf is not always a symbol of oppression, some women also wear it because they want to. Bagriacik is a Muslim herself and does not find religion dangerous, but rather people who live it out in an extreme way.

Knut Elstermann from MDR Kultur writes that the director does not stop at the oppression, but also commemorates the courageous, solidarity, Muslim women who helped Hatun. After their death, their statements prevented their young son from joining the killer’s family at high risk. These are encouraging, female counter-images in a strong, differentiated and very moving film, says Elstermann.

Ralf Krämer from Berliner Morgenpost says that the film leaves room for grief, for pause and reflection, but also for an unreserved celebration of life. Last but not least, Nur one woman should also be understood as an honor, namely to those women from Sürücü's environment who made their statements in court without intimidation. Some of these women pay for their courage to this day with an anonymous life in a witness protection program .

Hatun Sürücü was born on January 17, 1982 in Berlin as the daughter of Kurdish parents of Sunni faith. They come from the Turkish province of Erzurum in eastern Anatolia . As one of nine children, Sürücü grew up in Berlin-Kreuzberg and attended high school. At the age of 16, her family took her out of school and married her to a cousin in Turkey. This turned out to be violent towards her; she returned to Berlin when she became pregnant. At the beginning she still lived with her parents and siblings. But her desire to determine her own life for herself grew bigger and bigger. Therefore, despite the resistance of her family, she and her son Can first moved into a dormitory for single women, then into her first own apartment in Tempelhof. She took off her headscarf and started an apprenticeship as an electrician after completing her secondary school leaving certificate. In March 2005, just a few days after her death, she could have completed her apprenticeship with the journeyman's examination .

Memorial plaque for Hatun Sürücü in Berlin-Tempelhof

On a plaque on a natural stone in Berlin-Tempelhof, corner of Oberlandstrasse / Oberlandgarten 1, it says:

“Here Hatun Sürücü (born 1983) was murdered on February 7, 2005 because she did not submit to coercion and oppression from her family, but led a self-determined life. In memory of you and the other victims of violence against women in this city. "

“Ailesinin baski ve zorlamalarina boyun egmeyip, öz dayali bir yasam tarzini sürdürdügü için 1983 dogumlu Hatun Sürücü 7 Subat 2005 tarihinde burada öldürüldü. Onun ve onun gibi kadinlara yönelik siddete kurban giden bu sehirdeki tüm kadinlarin anisina. "

reception

Age ratings and reviews

In Germany, the film was approved by the FSK from the age of 12. The statement of reasons for the release states: “The film is told from the perspective of the young woman and describes very vividly the family constraints in which she lives. The topic of religiously traditionally motivated honor killing is very clearly named, but also explained in detail. There is also no generalization: there is always a clear differentiation between Aynur's family and other Muslims. ”Physical violence is rather cautiously staged in the film, but in places the emotionally intense family conflicts for young people (approved for ages 12 and up) could pose a challenge.

Ceyda Nurtsch from Deutsche Welle says, Only one woman does not try to fathom the family's psychological or social situation, but rather focus on Aynur and her voice. The discrepancy between the emotionless voice of the dead and the story it tells is all the more effective .

Use in school lessons

The online portal kinofenster.de recommends only one woman for the subjects German , social studies / community studies , politics, ethics and religion and offers material for the film for the classroom. Susanne Kim continues to write that the film focuses on the issue of the rights of girls and women . This is a good opportunity to debate ethics, religion and social and sociology about basic social values , i.e. about equality and self-determination . The terms “ honor ” and “ shame ” could also be discussed in this context . In January and February 2020, the film was presented as part of the SchulKinoWochen in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Awards

Bavarian Film Award 2020

German Film Award 2019

Film Festival Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 2019

  • Awarded the audience award (Sherry Hormann)

Tribeca Film Festival 2019

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Certificate of Release for One Woman Only . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry (PDF; test number: 186829 / K). Template: FSK / maintenance / type not set and Par. 1 longer than 4 characters
  2. ↑ dpa : "Only a woman". Sandra Maischberger on forced marriages. In: Badische Latest Nachrichten , May 6, 2019, Interview with Sandra Maischberger.
  3. ↑ Susanne Lenz: Almila Bagriacik: "Origin is only a background noise". In: Frankfurter Rundschau , May 9, 2019.
  4. ↑ One woman only. In: filmportal.de , accessed on May 17, 2019.
  5. ↑ a b c Tim Sohr: Film adaptation of “Just a Woman”: Shot by the little brother - the unbearable story of an “honor killing”. In: Stern Online , May 8, 2019.
  6. ↑ Watch the Cannes Oscar Berlinale here - press kit for the Berlinale 2019. In: rbb-online.de , accessed on May 17, 2019, (PDF; 4.3 MB).
  7. ^ A Regular Woman. In: Tribeca Film Festival , accessed May 17, 2019.
  8. ↑ Filmkunstfest MV 2019: System sprinkler gets wings. In: Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern , May 2019: "The audience decided on Sherry Hormann's drama Nur eine Frau , which celebrated its German premiere in Schwerin."
  9. ↑ Start dates in Germany. ( Memento of April 22, 2019 in the Internet Archive ). In: insidekino.com , accessed on May 17, 2019.
  10. ↑ Just a Woman, Feature Film, 2018-2019. In: crew-united .com , accessed on May 17, 2019.
  11. ^ A Regular Woman. In: jff.org.il. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  12. ^ A Regular Woman. In: miff.com. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  13. ↑ One woman only. In: festival-des-deutschen-films.de. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  14. ↑ a b c Anke Westphal: Critique of Just a Woman. In: epd Film , April 23, 2019, accessed August 20, 2019.
  15. ↑ a b Luitgard Koch: Just a woman. In: programmkino.de , accessed on May 17, 2019.
  16. ↑ a b Ceyda Nurtsch: "Only a woman": story of an "honor killing". In: Focus Online , May 9, 2019.
  17. ↑ a b c Ceyda Nurtsch: "Only a woman": story of an "honor killing". In: Deutsche Welle , May 9, 2019.
  18. ↑ cke: Hatun's murderer worked for German ambassadors. In: Die Welt , July 29, 2015.
  19. ↑ a b Jörg Lau : “Like a German”: Hatun Sürücü broke away from her Turkish family and was murdered - like five other women in Berlin alone in the last few months. Only now is the "honor killing" becoming a political issue. In: Die Zeit , February 24, 2005, No. 9.
  20. ↑ Seyran Ateş in an interview with Anna Reimann: Sürücü-Todestag: "Fear determines the everyday life of women". In: SpOn , February 7, 2007.
  21. ↑ a b c Susanne Lenz: "Only a woman" The strength and joie de vivre of Hatun Sürücü. In: Berliner Zeitung , May 9, 2019.
  22. ↑ Knut Elstermann : "Just a woman" - a harrowing story of an "honor killing". In: mdr.de , accessed on May 17, 2019.
  23. ↑ Ralf Krämer: I was an honor killing: "Just a woman". In: Berliner Morgenpost , May 8, 2019.
  24. ↑ Memorial plaque for Hatun Sürücü. In: gedenkenafeln-in-berlin.de , accessed on May 17, 2019; old board, year of birth not corrected here → correct is 1982 .
  25. ↑ Reason for approval for Just a Woman In: Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft , accessed on May 17, 2019.
  26. ↑ One woman only. In: kinofenster.de , accessed on May 17, 2019.
  27. ↑ https://nrw.db-schulkinowochen.de/webanmeldung/web_film.inc.php?selectedNr=982&PNr=4945
  28. ↑ German Film Prize 2019. In: German Film Prize , accessed on March 20, 2019.
  29. ↑ Michael Kegel: The prizes of the 29th Filmkunstfest MV have been awarded. In: filmland-mv.de , May 4, 2019.
  30. ^ A Regular Woman. In: Tribeca Film Festival , accessed May 17, 2019.
  31. ^ "Roads" and "Just a Woman" in the competition. In: Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg , March 6, 2019.