The Pro Talks

-I would like to hear your comments on the making of the film. How did you come up with the idea for the movie? Did you run the workshop first?

Well, you’re insightful because it did start with the workshop. I went to Eberswalde, a city near Berlin to engage young Arab girls in theater workshops. So, that is how it started. Maybe you can see in the film that the girls are easy to fall in love with. The funny thing is, in the beginning, they thought I was their age and they were surprised to know that I am ten years older than them and that I was living and studying in Germany on my own. A sense of kinship grew between us. The girls mentioned during one of the Q&As that because they saw me as a friend, it was easy for them to be themselves in front of the camera—they felt like we were just hanging out and that I was one of them.

-What were the goals of the workshop? What was the concept?

The goal was to give the girls space to express themselves, to reflect and understand their situation in their new home country. Also to invite them to envision themselves in the future and think about what they want.

-Did you encounter any difficulties in the making of the film?

In the beginning, it was challenging because I was working alone without a team. Two years into the process, the cinematographer Marco Müller joined me, and his involvement made a significant difference. Having someone who felt as invested in the project as I did was invaluable. Parallel to filming, pushing the project forward and securing financing was a demanding task. Along with my partner, Jude Kawwa, we established our production company Shaghab Films in Jordan to apply for funding. I was also pitching the project on international platforms and meeting commissioning editors and other partners. About three years into the process, a German production company came on board, allowing us to expand the team.

-Why did you choose female refugees for your main characters?

It’s because I can relate to them. I’m not a refugee, I moved to Germany for my graduate studies. Still, there’s something universal about being a teenage girl. Also, coming from a similar culture, I could see a younger version of myself in the girls. I naturally gravitate toward film participants I can connect with and feel kinship with.

-Is it important that none of the girls really accomplish their dreams? Like in the ending, none of the girls really accomplishes their dreams.

For me, the ending is bittersweet— it becomes evident that the girls are systematically steered toward elderly care jobs because that is what’s needed in Germany. However, I don’t think the ending is “depressing.” There’s something empowering about seeing the girls acting out their dreams. There is resilience in their words and determination in their spirit. They themselves say in the end: “I am not forgetting my dream.” “I will keep going, and maybe one day I will be able to reach it.”

-When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Have you accomplished your dreams?

There is a line that Semav says that when you are little, your dreams grow with you and change, and sometimes they are just childhood dreams that you leave behind. When I was younger, I thought maybe I would like to be a journalist. But for me being a filmmaker is an even better version of being a journalist. There’s more space for artistic expression and I feel lucky to be able to make films, be invited into the worlds of people and be trusted to tell their stories. It is a humbling feeling.

-Why is it humbling? Why do you feel humbled by that experience?

Because of the trust that I am given, I don’t take that for granted. It’s built on a long-term relationship, being as honest as possible about my intentions and motivations- sometimes, you’re not clear about them even to yourself. I feel incredibly lucky that these amazing girls allowed me to enter their world and capture it.

-Were there in the movie any important decisions being made by the girls? Were there any decisions that they had to face in the process of the film?

I had an agreement with the girls that if they feel uncomfortable about anything or if we film something that they don’t want in the film, they can say so and it won’t be included. And before we finalized the edit, they watched the version before picture lock and approved the film. They said that the film ended up much better than what they expected, which I thought was funny and sweet.

-So you are still in contact with the girls? You keep in touch?

Yes!

-One of the girls in the workshop, Andrea, on whom you’re making a separate film , Portrait of A, why did you choose to focus on her particularly?

 How do you know? 

– I searched…

– You did your research!

Portrait of A is in development, I am currently working on. Andrea stood out from the rest of the group, because she is the only one who doesn’t speak Arabic. Also she is the only one who is married and living with her husband, she has different sorts of pressures. I felt her story needed more time and space to explore.

-How was the film Tell them about us received? And also did the movie have an impact on the girls? Did you notice something?

What I noticed, for example, during the Berlin pre-cinema release screening was a sense of pride in where they are now and what they’ve achieved since then. There was also a lot of reflection on how they dealt with certain issues, like racism, when they were younger compared to now, as well as how much their language skills have improved. I think it’s also touching for them to see themselves so young and watch how they’ve grown up in front of the camera.

-What films are you interested in making? On what kind of issues, content, type etc?

You can tell by the work I’ve done so far that I am interested in telling stories of migration through a female lens. We need to give platforms and space for these voices that are often marginalized.

-Do you have any other films in the works? OK, you have A Portrait of A, Do you have any other films in the works?

I have a couple of ideas that I am thinking about. But right now my focus is Portrait of A.

-And lastly, have you had a strict Arab upbringing? Do you see yourself in those girls? I don’t know. Do you have similar experiences?

In some ways, yes, and in others, no. I love my parents and know they always did their best to provide for me and my siblings. While certain aspects of my upbringing might have been strict, I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing. It came from a place of wanting to create the best environment for us, making sure we stayed focused on our studies and worked toward building a solid foundation for the future.

-It was a pleasure having this interview, and I am so thankful that you were so open. You talked very freely. That’s it. I’m so anxious I don’t know why.

No, I am very impressed…