ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Mutlu Kaya drew media attention at the age of 19 while showcasing her vocal talents on a popular Turkish talent show, yet her rise to fame was cut short after a failed murder attempt left her partially paralyzed. Earlier this week, a documentary telling her story was awarded the top prize at an international film festival in Poland. Directed by Nick Read and Ayse Toprak, My Name is Happy explores the prevalence of femicide and violence against women in Turkey through examining Kaya’s life after being shot in the head by a jealous ex-boyfriend. The documentary tells the story of Kaya trying to sing again, despite her disabilities, to honor the memory of her sister Dilek, who was shot dead by her boyfriend in 2020. The film was awarded the Golden Horn for Best Feature-Length Documentary at the 63rd Krakow Film Festival. Rates of femicide and violence against women in Turkey have been continuously on the rise over the past ten years. The We Will Stop Femicide Platform, a Turkish campaign group, recorded at least 334 women killed by men in 2022, also reporting 245 cases of women dying under suspicious circumstances. The group has also reported at least 126 cases of femicides during the first five months of 2023.
