"Nur Eine Frau" (2019 release from Germany; 105 min.) brings the real-life story of Aynur, a German woman of Kurdish-Muslim descent. As the movie opens, it is "2005" and we see footage of a slain body on the street as the voice-over starts her story: "That is me, killed by my brother". We then go to "May, 1998", when then-16 yr. old Aynur is sent to Turkey where she is married off to her cousin (not her choice obviously). The marriage is a disaster and we then go to "April, 1999" as Aynur, highly pregnant at this point, flees Turkey and arrives back in Berlin to live with her family (parents, 4 brothers, 4 sisters). At this point we are 10 min. into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest film from American-German writer-director Sherry Hormann. Here she brings us the gut-wrenching account of an honor killing that will make your head shake in disgust and your blood boil. The hate that simmers in Aynur's family is simply incomprehensible to us Westerns. Even though Aynur's parents moved to Germany decades ago, there isn't the slightest integration into German society after all this time. Hisses one of the brothers at one point: "Aynur's become German", with a level of disdain that is all too clear. PLEASE NOTE: The movie's original German title "Nur Eine Frau" has been inexplicably mistranslated into "A Regular Woman", which completely misses the point. At one point, the movie's voice-over (the Aynur character) comments that "I deserved to die, because I'm merely a woman" ("Ich habe es verdient zu sterben, weil ich nur eine Frau bin"). In other words: the correct movie title in English is the dismissive "Merely a Woman" or "Just a Woman", not "A Regular Woman"!! Also please note that the movie's running time is listed incorrectly at 90 min. It is actually about 105 min. (give or take a few). The movie's no-star cast is outstanding, from the Anyur character (played by Almila Bagriacik) on down.

I'm not sure when or where "Nur Eine Frau" premiered. But I can tell you that it opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and this marked the first time that I saw a movie in the theater since the COVID-19 outbreak in mid-March, 3 1/2 months ago. The theater imposed strict limits on where to sit, respecting social distancing. Not that it mattered, as the Friday early evening screening where I saw this at turned out to be a private screening (I was literally the only person in the theater). If you are in the mood for a tough movie exposing the horrible realities of so-called honor killings, I'd recommend you check this out, be it in the theater (if you can),on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

A movie about the fate of a woman, who leaves islam. Very moral and unfortunately true.

What does that even mean? Just a woman? Of course you can interpret it yourself, but if you ask me, this is about how a female is being viewed. And not just with a radical islamic family. Don't just get that out of the movie and feed your xenophobic fears and anxieties. No this is a general point that is unfortunately true - in the public eye, be it the media or society itself. See what recently happened to Meghan Markles interview and how it got under scrutiny. Certain individuals not believing what she said ... which is horrible on so many aspects.

But back to this, because while I read the general struggle of women, this does specify what it is to be under a very strict rule - or rather rules. How it is to grow up and be part of something radical - something that will not acknowledge you as an individual, but as part of something greater. Something that women are supposed to bend to and behave accordingly to.

It is irritating and I hope it does open the eyes of some, what abuse (not just physical, but also) females have to go through. What it does to them - and not all have the strength or the patience to keep fighting against injustices. It is upon all of us to not just look the other way. Like the scene in the bus - everyone minding their business. Which I understand to a degree - people don't know what a fight is about. But when a man hits a woman who obviously is not fighting back ... there is something inherently wrong with that picture ... and while the movie does not linger on it, the point is clear! No one is there to help ... the inevitable end (of a true story, that I was not aware of, but certainly isn't just a single case, but likely has happened to other women ... way too many of them) ... A gripping story that really is able to touch you - and as I said above hopefully gives you some food for thought