Kaouther Ben Hania in conversation with Soudade Kaadan on The Voice of Hind Rajab
Summary
Directors UK CEO Andy Harrow interviews director Kaouther Ben Hania about her film The Voice of Hind Rajab. Ben Hania discusses the emotional toll of using real audio recordings from the Gaza conflict and her decision to pivot from a previous project to tell this urgent story. She explains her creative process, including casting actors to react authentically to Hind’s voice and collaborating with key crew members to maintain a documentary-like intimacy. The conversation also touches on the challenges of financing Arabic-language films and the importance of bearing witness to human rights ab…
Topics discussed
Introduction to Directors UK podcast and guest introduction
The emotional impact of Hind Rajab's voice on the director
Processing trauma and protecting the cast and crew
Collaborating with the Red Crescent and the mother's approval
Scripting the film: Balancing authenticity and empathy
Casting decisions and blending actors with archival footage
Creative constraints: Focusing on the call center perspective
Acting technique: Hearing the real voice for the first time
Cinematography: Handheld camera and emotional rawness
Challenges of financing Arabic-language films in Europe
Overview of the director's next film set in Tunisia
Screenings at political institutions and audience impact
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