Four Daughters
Original Title:
بنات ألفة, Les Filles d'Olfa
Duration:
110 minutes
Country:
Tunisia, France
Language:
Arabic, French, with English Subtitles
Director(s):
Kaouther Ben Hania
Oscar-nominated documentary Four Daughters depicts the struggles of both motherhood and sisterhood in a land where the meaning of loyalty inherent to family ties changes almost daily. Placing a single family’s traumatic past on full display, we see firsthand a grand attempt to come to terms with the destructive influence of radicalized religion through the medium of film. Two actresses take the role of Ghofrane and Rahma—the vanished daughters of Olfa Hamrouni, having disappeared years prior after being radicalized by extremists from the Islamic State. Another actress plays Olfa herself, in scenes deemed far too painful to reenact. The rest of the cast is self-played, and grieving, in an enthralling, never-before-seen film-within-a-film constitution.
Quote:
“As Olfa and the sisters give perspective on their shared trauma and heartbreak and discuss the underlying principles of it with each other and the actresses, what ensues is not simply the story of a family but a tour de force examination of women’s place in the world and the costs of how they choose to cope with it.”
(Peyton Robinson - Roger Ebert)
Awards:
+ The Academy Awards: Best Documentary Feature Nomination
+ The Academy Awards: Tunisia's Official Selection for Best International Feature
+ Palm Spring International Film Festival: FIPRESCI Prize
+ Cannes Film Festival: Golden Eye
+ Gotham Independent Film Award: Best Documentary
+ Munich Film Festival: ARRI/OSRAM Award
Presented By:
Duolingo, Heinz College DICE, CMU Center for the Arts in Society
Sponsored By:
CMU Modern Languages Department, University of Pittsburgh Frederick Honors College, The Documentary Salon
Event Schedule
Date:
March 21st
Venue:
Kelly Strayhorn Theater
Screening Time:
7pm
Doors Open:
6:00
Pre-screening Event(s)
+ Opening Ceremony
Post-screening Event(s)
+ Post Screening Discussion Moderated by CMU Professor Nevine Abraham
+ Catered Reception from Salem's Market and Grill
Additional Event(s)
Hands-on Acting Workshop
Date & Time: Saturday March 23rd 1pm
Location: Center For Creativity (University of Pittsburgh)
Director Bio
Kaouther Ben Hania’s extensive list of successful short films as well as feature films solidifies her presence as an incredible director and scriptwriter. She studied cinema in Tunisia and continued in Paris, where she is currently based. Her latest documentary, Four Daughters, has been awarded numerous awards and continues her legacy of long runs on the international film festival circuit. Four Daughters has been awarded some of the most prestigious awards, including the Golden Eye at the Cannes Film Festival and the FIPRESCI award at the Palm Spring International Film Festival. Four Daughters is Hania’s next addition to her extensive and highly awarded list of films.