Four Daughters Co-winner of the Cannes 2023 Golden Eye, Kaouther Ben Hania’s (Zaineb Hates the Snow, Beauty and the Dogs) Four Daughters is each compellingly crafted and deeply disturbing. The “fictional documentary” seems again on an notorious, winding and tumultuous Tunisian saga involving 5 ladies: the titular quartet of older siblings Ghofrane and Rahma and youngest Eya and Tayssir, together with their mom Olfa Hamrouni. The youthful daughters seem as themselves, and the movie options two actors taking over the roles of the oldest, a necessity since Ghofrane and Rahma can’t “play” themselves, having “disappeared” again in 2015 on the tender ages of 16 and 15, respectively. Then there’s veteran Tunisian-Egyptian actor Hend Sabri (Noura’s Dream), who performs Olfa when occasions get too traumatic to recount, a circumstance that occurs usually when such strong-willed real-life protagonists—particularly the domineering Olfa—are as messy and sophisticated because the tales they inform to us, in addition to themselves.
Soon after the movie’s TIFF premiere (and simply previous to its debut on the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, the place I noticed it as a part of my Critics Jury obligation), Filmmaker reached out to the Tunisian writer-director to be taught all about this most sudden followup to her Oscar-nominated, Monica Bellucci-starring The Man Who Sold His Skin. Four Daughters is launched at present by Kino Lorber.
Filmmaker: By the time you reached out to Olfa and her daughters, they’d already change into media figures and Olfa had crafted a public persona. So, with a view to break by way of this calculated “grieving mother” invention you determined, in line with the press notes, to “make a documentary on the preparation for a fake fiction that would never see the light of day.” Could you make clear this a bit? Were you clear with Olfa that the fiction was certainly “fake”? Or did she assume you’d ultimately craft a story based mostly on her life (versus a “fictional documentary”)?
Ben Hania: I used to be all the time clear with Olfa and her two youngest daughters all through all the filmmaking course of. When I launched into this challenge again in 2016, my preliminary thought was to create a fly-on-the-wall documentary, capturing candid moments of Olfa and her two daughters of their every day lives at residence. However, as I delved deeper into Olfa’s story, it grew to become obvious that her narrative was extremely multilayered, spanning throughout time and feelings. I noticed {that a} conventional documentary strategy won’t do justice to the complexity of her experiences.
It was at this juncture that I got here up with the concept of introducing actors into the movie. This choice allowed us to not solely summon the household’s previous but additionally to mirror upon it in a extra profound and evocative method. I mentioned this idea brazenly with Olfa, Eya and Tayssir, explaining that they’d play a pivotal position within the course of. They could be accountable for directing the actors, sharing their recollections, guiding them by way of the scenes and offering solutions to their questions. In truth, it was Olfa who gave me the concept to rent Hend Sabry (the actress enjoying her double).
To make this strategy work successfully, it was crucial that Olfa and her daughters understood the filmmaking machine and the inventive course of concerned. Without this understanding, we couldn’t have achieved the depth and authenticity that the challenge aimed to seize. Olfa and her daughters are naturally gifted storytellers, and their involvement in shaping the narrative was important in bringing out the emotional fact that underpinned their lives.
In essence, our collaborative effort was constructed on transparency, mutual understanding and a shared dedication to exploring the intricacies of Olfa’s life and household historical past in a means that went past conventional documentary conventions. It was a journey that allowed us to harness the ability of storytelling, each actual and fictional, to convey the emotional complexity of their experiences.
Filmmaker: At one level throughout a troublesome scene with the youngest daughters, Eya and Tayssir, your male actor (Majd Mastoura) refuses to proceed, which made me marvel for those who employed an on-set therapist to make sure the psychological security of actors, crew and even your self. I do know Eya and Tayssir no less than labored with psychologists previous to manufacturing, however what precautions had been taken for everybody all through the precise shoot?
Ben Hania: When I first met the household in 2016, Eya and Tayssir had just lately returned residence from the juvenile heart that performs a big position within the latter a part of the film. At that point, the federal government had appointed a psychoanalyst to work with them, nevertheless it grew to become obvious that the rapport wasn’t superb. It was clear to me that they wanted a greater help system, not just for the women but additionally for his or her mom Olfa.
As the taking pictures of the documentary didn’t start till 2021, there was a big time frame throughout which Olfa, Eya and Tayssir made outstanding progress in coping with their previous traumas. They had been significantly better outfitted to share their story once we began filming.
In the precise scene that you just talked about, the place the actor Majd Mastoura refused to proceed, it’s necessary to notice that he wasn’t conscious of the in depth remedy that Eya and Tayssir had undergone previously. His confusion and reluctance are fully comprehensible, as a result of he approached his position as an actor, not as a psychoanalyst. When confronted with the emotional weight of the confessions and the complexity of the household’s historical past, he understandably felt ill-equipped to deal with such intense and deeply private revelations.
Understanding the sensitivity of the subjects we might be exploring in the course of the shoot, I used to be dedicated to making a protected and supportive area on set—not only for Olfa and her daughters, however for each member of the crew. Film units can generally be intense environments with egos, tensions and judgments, and I needed to mitigate these challenges. To obtain this, I minimized the dimensions of the crew and prioritized a majority feminine crew, which fostered a extra inclusive and empathetic ambiance.
In addition to those measures, we held quite a few pre-shooting conferences to debate and set up pointers for sustaining a protected area for everybody concerned. We collectively crafted a code of conduct or constitution that allowed every crew member to contribute their ideas on the way to create a nurturing atmosphere. This ensured that everybody’s wants and issues had been thought of, serving to to take care of a harmonious and empathetic ambiance all through the manufacturing.
Filmmaker: How a lot say did all of the individuals have within the closing lower, and the way do all of them really feel about it now? Did you give extra weight to the opinions and issues of Eya and Tayssir than to these of Olfa?
Ben Hania: Initially, I did suggest to Olfa and her daughters that they participate within the modifying course of, as I believed it was their proper to contribute to the shaping of their very own narrative. However, to my shock, they declined this chance. They defined that in the event that they had been to take part in modifying, it may lead to three distinct variations of the movie: one to align with Tayssir’s perspective, one other to go well with Eya’s and one more to fulfill Olfa. They merely instructed me that they belief me. This choice mirrored their immense belief in me because the filmmaker, and it additionally demonstrated their dedication to permitting the story to unfold as authentically as doable.
As you may think about, I used to be fairly nervous once they lastly noticed the finished movie. Their reactions, nevertheless, had been past my expectations. They had been genuinely proud of the way in which their voices had been portrayed within the movie. Their response was an affirmation that we had succeeded in capturing the essence of their experiences and feelings.
Our journey continued once we attended the Cannes Film Festival collectively. It was a profoundly lovely and emotional second for all of us. The movie’s reception at such a prestigious occasion and worldwide platform, mixed with their brave and unfiltered storytelling, left a long-lasting affect. Their willingness to share their experiences brazenly and actually, even when it was uncomfortable or painful, was actually phenomenal. It was a testomony to their resilience and the ability of their voices in bringing their story to the world.
Filmmaker: Ironically, the Tunisian Revolution in 2011 was hailed as a victory for democracy (no less than within the West), nevertheless it likewise paved the way in which for Islamic extremism within the nation—and thus the furtherance of faith as a software of the patriarchy. Indeed, Olfa’s eldest daughers, Ghofrane and Rahma, even use Islam to dominate their very own pious and domineering mom. Do you assume it’s even doable to separate faith from patriarchy in Tunisia (or anyplace for that matter)? What segments of society have really benefited most because the ousting of Ben Ali?
Ben Hania: While the trail to alter is difficult, it’s necessary to acknowledge that the Tunisian Revolution did result in vital optimistic adjustments, together with larger freedom of speech and expression. This freedom allowed filmmakers and artists like myself to discover and depict complicated societal points, together with these associated to gender dynamics and faith, by way of our work. It’s essential to acknowledge that revolutions are complicated processes, and their aftermath usually includes durations of turmoil and societal introspection.
After the Tunisian Revolution, Ennahda, an Islamist get together, initially gained elections on account of their previous persecution below dictatorship. However, their subsequent governance led to public dissatisfaction, ensuing of their loss within the following elections. This course of exemplifies the essence of democracy, the place voters maintain elected officers accountable.
In reflecting on the aftermath of the revolution, the phrases of Antonio Gramsci are certainly related: “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.” It’s a interval of upheaval and transformation, the place society confronts its hidden “demons” and makes an attempt to forge a extra simply and equitable future.
Personally, I consider that the Tunisian Revolution was an important step in the direction of democracy and freedom of speech, regardless of the complexities that adopted. It supplied a platform for artists and activists to deal with essential points, together with the interaction between faith and patriarchy, and it serves as a reminder that the battle for societal change is an ongoing and important endeavor.
Filmmaker: I’m guessing your protagonists are hoping that the movie would possibly in some way serve to ultimately reunite them with Ghofrane and Rahma. Are you likewise hoping it serves this objective? Are you comfy with this movie being each a piece of cinematic nonfiction and a “means to an end”? What precisely are your wishes for the doc?
Ben Hania: When making a documentary about actual people, it’s essential to acknowledge that you just change into intertwined with their lives and aspirations. The affect extends past the confines of the movie, as life continues after its completion. Documentary filmmaking persistently engages in a dialogue with the truth it portrays.
During the Cannes press convention, Olfa initiated a plea to the Tunisian authorities. She known as for the repatriation of her daughters and a good trial for them in Tunisia. Additionally, she highlighted the urgency of securing a brighter future for younger Fatma, who’s harmless and deserving of an training exterior of incarceration. We are actively collaborating with Tunisian authorities companies to assist understand these goals.
