Documentary about Kurdish girl wins award at Krakow Film Festival

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – ‘My Name Is Happy,’ a documentary about a Kurdish girl from Diyarbakir, Turkey (Bakur), won an award at the Krakow Film Festival on Sunday.

The Krakow Film Festival was held on May 28 in the city of Krakow, Poland. The festival is the oldest film festival in Poland and lasts until June 18. Out of 240 films, 'My Name is Happy' won the documentary category's main prize.

'My Name is Happy' was directed by Nick Read and Ayse Toprak.

The film is about a Kurdish girl named Mutlu Kaya who participated in a singing contest on a Turkish channel. She became famous for her beauty and singing, but on May 18, 2015, she was shot by her fiancé at home. Although Kaya was seriously injured and permanently disabled, she did not give up and fought for women’s rights.

Another part of 'My Name Is Happy’ is about Kaya's sister, Dilek Kaya, who was shot dead by her boyfriend in her apartment in Diyarbakir. 

The film contains several feminist themes regarding women’s rights in Kurdish society and it strives to help create a platform to expand their voices.

One of the sponsors of the Krakow Film Festival is Ziyad Raoof, a well-known Kurdish personality living in Poland. For many years, Raoof has sponsored Krakow Film Festival.

Critics praised the film for its storytelling, themes, and directing.  “A tale of remarkable resilience... inspirational and patiently powerful,” the Daily Mail wrote.

The Guardian wrote, “[t]he film is a warm family portrait and at the same time a merciless attack on a legal system and a state that does not protect women. It shows love, unity and not least the fight for justice.”