In Turkey, femicide rates have risen dramatically in recent years. The AKP’s patriarchal policies reinforce systemic gender-based violence and erode the rights of women and LGBTI+ people. Un-Silencing! critiques the state-sanctioned ‘proper woman’ narrative. The film follows Yasemin Çakal, a Turkish woman who killed her abusive husband in self-defence. After serving three years in prison, she faced continued threats. Fearing for her life, she sought asylum in Switzerland, where she won a landmark case recognising femicide as a political issue. Now an activist, Yasemin works to raise awareness about femicide and women’s rights. Blending observational filmmaking with an essayistic approach, Un-Silencing! documents Yasemin’s transformation from a domestic violence survivor to an international activist. It also explores Turkey’s patriarchal discourse and the rise of feminist and LGBTI+ resistance movements.
Özlem Sarıyıldız is a visual artist, documentary filmmaker and editor. She was born in Turkey and is based in Berlin.
