Written and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, between light and darkness stands Olfa, a Tunisian woman and the mother of four daughters. One day, her two older daughters disappear, filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania invites professional actresses to fill in their absence. Starring: Olfa Hamrouni, Eya Chikhaoui, Tayssir Chikhaoui, Nour Karoui, Ichrak Matar, Majd Mastoura and Hind Sabri.
When you go into a documentary, nine times out of ten you’ll know what you’re getting, it’s a genre with a tried and tested format but Kaouther Ben Hania mixes up the usual formula with Four Daughters. It’s a risky move, it creates an unusual atmosphere to explore such a poignant, harrowing topic, making it intensely personal. It not only has Olfa and her daughters explore their memories but to recreate them right in front of their eyes, in an almost overwhelming realm of emotion.
However, the other side of that choice means that it can feel surprisingly casual at times, with a slightly chaotic flow, which isn’t really conducive to digging deep into this topic of patriarchy, extremism and a culture of assault. It creates a barrier that adds separation between the film and its audience, making it a bit more difficult to get into.
That said, it is an admirably bold choice and you can see Kaouther Ben Hania’s intentions to ardently tell this story from Olfa’s perspective. While the style may have its issues, the content beneath it is of huge value, particularly in dealing with how easily young people are drawn to extremism. The complete and irrevocable change that can come from being seduced by these powerfully vindictive voices will forever be shocking.
Four Daughters is an intriguingly unusual documentary, the way that it moves and its use of recreation, right in front of the subjects, practically feels like a form of therapy. It’s an extremely intimate story, filled with vulnerability, pain and a fair deal of regret and reflection. Not everything works and the progression can be messy yet you can’t help but to respect what Kaouther Ben Hania attempted with this film.
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