Four Daughters (2023) is an Arabic-language documentary film directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. The film tells the story of Olfa, a Tunisian mother whose two elder daughters disappeared to join ISIS. To fill in their absence, Ben Hania invites professional actresses to reenact the lives of Olfa and her daughters.
The film competed for the Palme d’Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 19 May 2023. It was released in France on 5 July 2023.
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Directors:
- Kaouther Ben Hania
Writers:
- Kaouther Ben Hania
Stars:
- Hend Sabri as Olfa
- Nour Karoui as Rahma Chikhaoui
- Ichraq Matar as Ghofrane Chikhaoui
- Majd Mastoura
- Olfa Hamrouni
- Eya Chikahoui
- Tayssir Chikhaoui
Synopsis:
Four Daughters is a hybrid documentary that blends fact and fiction to explore the complex themes of motherhood, loss, and radicalization. The film follows Olfa, a Tunisian mother whose two elder daughters disappeared to join ISIS. In an attempt to come to terms with their absence, Olfa invites filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania to make a film about her life. Ben Hania, in turn, invites professional actresses to reenact the lives of Olfa and her daughters.
The film is a deeply personal exploration of Olfa’s grief and her struggle to understand why her daughters left her. It is also a powerful indictment of the forces that drive young people to radicalism.
In a 2023 interview with Cineuropa, Ben Hania said that she made Four Daughters “to try to understand what happened to Olfa’s daughters and to give her a voice.” She also said that she wanted to make a film that would “question the very foundations of our societies.”
Four Daughters is a complex and challenging film, but it is also a deeply moving and thought-provoking one. It is a film that will stay with you long after you have seen it.
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Critical reception:
Four Daughters has received critical acclaim, with many reviewers praising its unique form and its powerful story. The film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and it won the L’Oeil d’Or award for best documentary.
In his review for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw wrote: “Four Daughters is a remarkable film, a hybrid documentary that blends fact and fiction in a way that is both challenging and illuminating.”
In her review for Variety, Jessica Kiang wrote: “Four Daughters is a powerful and moving film that offers a unique and insightful perspective on the issue of radicalization.”
This movie is a must-see film for anyone interested in contemporary cinema or in the complex issue of radicalization. It is a film that will stay with you long after you have seen it.