Ep 101: Dying to Divorce: An inspiring documentary about survivors of gender-based violence Girls On Film

The powerful doc Dying to Divorce reports on the fight against domestic violence in Turkey. Filmed over five years, it tells the story of women who have both faced and are campaigning against domestic violence in Turkey. We review the film with Observer critic Simran Hans, who delves into the reputation and function of documentaries, and also the process of filmmaking as a means of activism.
Anna then speaks to director Chloe Fairweather and lawyer Ipek Bozkurt, who appears in the film. Ipek emphasises that while the documentary is about Turkish women, it is the beginning of a global discussion and fight for ending violence against women everywhere. Chloe highlights how the story of these women remains compelling because there is such profound hope within the darkness of their reality.
This is a rally cry for everyone who wants to put an end to gender-based violence - and who realises the power of film in spreading the message.
Dying to Divorce is the UK’s official Oscars entry for ‘Best International Feature Film’ and ‘Best Documentary’ Academy Awards and it’s submitted in the BAFTA ‘Best Documentary’ and ‘Film Not in the English Language’ categories https://dyingtodivorce.com/
If any of the issues discussed in this episode affect you, contact https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
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Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Audio producer: Benjamin Cook. Intern: Shanaiya Pithiya.
This episode was produced in partnership with Dartmouth Films.