About

Mixing documentary and fiction, the film traces the story of Olfa Hamrouni, a Tunisian mother of four daughters, whose two eldest became radicalised and ran away from home in 2016 to fight alongside the Islamic State (IS) group in Libya, making headlines around the world. This intriguing and unconventional film could be classified as a docudrama (an Anglo-American word that morphed into existence in the 1950s), in that the director brought in two actors to play the two eldest daughters to act alongside the real-life two younger sisters and Olfa herself.

2011 saw the overthrow of Tunisia's long term dictator, Ben Ali and the country took on a form of democracy, with both secular and Islamic groups competing to govern. Extremist groups soon made their way into neighbourhoods, where families like
the Hamrounis lived, radicalising young men and women.

'Four Daughters' weaves a real family's reminiscences with dramatic reconstructions to compelling effect, creating a hybrid of sorts, revealing a fascinating and disturbing history of generational female trauma. The film never gives a concrete answer as to why the two elder sisters left, although there are hints as to what pushed them down the path of extremism, given the familial, societal, and political state of their environment. As the director observed, "My job as a film maker was never to judge these women, it was to tell their story. I want the audience to make up their own mind but I do hope they can see the
importance of empathy".

The film won 21 awards worldwide, including the César, Cannes and Lumiere awards for the Best Documentary and was Oscar nominated in the same category.

Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3) and can be purchased in advance from The Exchange's Box Office online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events, by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person.

For further information on RFS and the programme of films, please visit
http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk