Four Daughters (ENG SUBS)

How can storytelling help us understand and process events? This unique hybrid film by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania combines fiction with theater and documentary to explore the heartbreaking story of the complex relationship between a mother and her daughters. Olfa Hamrouni has four daughters: Eya, Tayssir, Ghofrane, and Rahma. However, the two eldest teenagers disappear suddenly: they become radicalized and join Islamic extremists in Libya. The remaining women relive their memories from before and after their departure, examining how femininity, trauma, and inherited history have influenced their family. As Ghofrane and Rahma are unable to tell their own story, the filmmaker has invited two actresses to stand in for them and participate in reenacted scenes to further deepen the bond of sisterhood.

With a beautiful and incredibly courageous performance by the real mother, daughters, and professional cast, this devastating and inspiring portrait of five women won three awards in Cannes, including the L’Œil d’or for best documentary. Four Daughters is a unique non-fiction film and a cathartic and exceptionally ambitious exploration of two generations of Tunisian women and the destructive effect of unspoken words.