''A Regular Woman'' (german: Nur eine Frau) is a 2019 German biographical film directed by

Sherry Hormann Sherry Hormann (born 20 April 1960) is a German-American film director. Hormann is best known for her movies ''Guys and Balls'' (2004), '' Desert Flower'' (2009) and '' 3096 Days'' (2013). Hormann was born in the United States, but moved to Germa ...

. It is based on the life of Hatun "Aynur" Sürücü who was killed by her brother in an

honor killing An honor killing (American English), honour killing (Commonwealth English), or shame killing is the murder of an individual, either an outsider or a member of a family, by someone seeking to protect what they see as the dignity and honor of t ...

. Hormann stated that by 2019 people were "increasingly fencing ourselves in", so she decided to make the film. The film is narrated by an actress playing Sürücü. The characters, in the initial scene, speak Turkish until one

breaks the fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...

and acknowledges that the viewers cannot comprehend their speech, before the characters switch to German, the primary medium of the film. The film includes some video footage of the real Sürücü with her boyfriend.

Reception

Alissa Simon of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote that it "owes much to its fine cast and impeccable technical package." Keith Ulrich of ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' wrote that the actors were "excellent" and that it was "meticulous dramatic reenactment designed specifically to give a victim back their voice — quite the honorable intention." Ulrich criticised how the film highlights "the fact that Aynur's murder is a foregone conclusion" and the final death scene. The film received the Cinema for Peace Award for justice in 2020.

References

External links

* * 2019 biographical drama films 2019 films 2010s German films 2010s German-language films Films about honor killing Films directed by Sherry Hormann German biographical drama films {{2010s-Germany-film-stub