bigotry
“Olfa’s Daughters” – Masterful documentary about two women in IS
Olfa’s daughters are played by actresses. photo
© RapidEyeMovies/dpa
In the moving documentary, Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania tells the story of a mother who lost two of her daughters to religious fanaticism.
“Olfa’s Daughters” was shown this year Cannes Film Festival an exceptional film in competition. The work tells the harrowing true story of Olfa Hamrouni. The Tunisian became known in 2016 when she made public the radicalization of two of her four daughters. The two left Tunisia when they were teenagers to fight alongside the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Libya. They are now in prison.
“Olfa’s Daughters” has a very special narrative technique. Reenactments and documentary scenes mix. Not only the story itself, but also the performances of the people who play themselves here are moving.
single mother
Hamrouni is raising her daughters alone after divorcing her husband. Her older daughters Rahma and Ghofrane rebel – first by listening to rock music, for example. Then with a radical turnaround by joining the terrorist organization IS and disappearing to Libya. They are arrested there.
In the film, Hamrouni and her two free daughters tell their story. The two imprisoned daughters are played by actresses. If things become too traumatic for Hamrouni, she will also be played by an actress.
presence of violence
In some scenes, the audience sees the real people giving instructions to the actresses and explaining how something happened. Viewers learn about Hamrouni’s own tough childhood, a marriage marked by violence. And also about Hamrouni’s own violent sides, which she took out on her daughters.
Director Kaouther Ben Hania’s approach is masterful. Formally, the film is a risk that completely succeeds and leaves you shocked. “Olfa’s Daughters” provides insight into a torn Tunisian society and tells of sibling love, trauma, radicalism and the devastating effects of patriarchy.
Olfa’s Daughters, France/Tunisia/Germany 2023, 107 min., FSK ages 12 and up, by Kaouther Ben Hania, with Olfa Hamrouni, Hend Sabri, Eya Chikhaoui, Tayssir Chikhaoui, Nour Karoui