Four Daughters (Arabic: بنات ألفة, romanized: Banāt Olfa, French: Les Filles d'Olfa, lit. 'Olfa's Daughters') is a 2023 Arabic-language documentary[3] film directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. After two daughters of a Tunisian mother disappeared, the filmmaker invites professional actresses to compensate for the loss. The film is an international co-production between France, Tunisia, Germany and Saudi Arabia.[4]
Four Daughters | |
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![]() French theatrical release poster | |
Arabic | بنات ألفة |
Literally | Olfa's Daughters |
Directed by | Kaouther Ben Hania |
Written by | Kaouther Ben Hania[1] |
Produced by |
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Cinematography | Farouk Laaridh[1] |
Edited by | |
Music by | Amine Bouhafa[1] |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Jour2Fête |
Release dates |
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Running time | 107 minutes[1] |
Countries |
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Language | Arabic |
Box office | $1.2 million[2] |
The film competed for the Palme d'Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 19 May 2023. It was released in France on 5 July 2023. It was selected as the Tunisian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards[5] and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature.[6]
Premise
editOlfa is the mother of four daughters in Tunisia. One day her two older daughters disappear. To fill the void left, film director Kaouther Ben Hania invites professional actresses and brings the viewer closer to the life stories of Olfa and her daughters.[7] The film mixes documentary and fiction.[8]
Cast
edit- Hend Sabri as Olfa
- Olfa Hamrouni
- Eya Chikhaoui
- Tayssir Chikhaoui
- Nour Karoui as Rahma Chikhaoui
- Ichraq Matar as Ghofrane Chikhaoui
- Majd Mastoura
Background
editTunisian Olfa Hamrouni rose to international prominence in April 2016 when she publicized the radicalization of her two teenage daughters, Rahma and Ghofrane Chikhaoui. Both teenagers had left Tunisia to fight alongside the Islamic State (IS) in Libya. Hamrouni publicly criticized the Tunisian authorities for not preventing her daughter Rahma from leaving the country.[9] After the arrest of the two women by Libyan forces, the authorities again did not react. Hamrouni is also said to have been prevented from leaving the country in order to look for her daughters in Libya on her own.[10]
Production
editThe film is produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha at Paris-based Tanit Films; Habib Attia at Tunis-based Cinétéléfilms;[11] Thanassis Karathanos and Martin Hampel at Berlin-based Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion GmbH;[12] and co-produced by Red Sea Film Festival Foundation, ZDF/ARTE, and Jour2Fête.[13]
Release
editFour Daughters was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival,[14] where it had its world premiere on 19 May 2023.[15] This is the second participation of a Tunisian production in the Cannes main competition since Abdellatif Ben Ammar's feature film A Simple Story in 1970.[16] The film was theatrically released in France by Jour2Fête on 5 July 2023.[17] It was released in Tunisia on 20 September 2023 by Hakka Distribution.[18] It was also invited at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 'Documentary Showcase' section and will be screened in October 2023.[19]
Kino Lorber gave the film a limited theatrical release in the United States on 27 October 2023.[20]
Reception
editCritical response
editOn Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96% based on 79 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Four Daughters' unique approach to documenting real-life horror is a formal gamble that only underscores the bravery and resilience of its subjects."[21] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 21 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[22] Four Daughters received an average rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars on the French website AlloCiné, based on 28 reviews.[23]
Accolades
editAward | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards | 10 March 2024 | Best Documentary Feature Film | Kaouther Ben Hania and Nadim Cheikhrouha | Nominated | [24] |
Alliance of Women Film Journalists | 3 January 2024 | Best Documentary | Four Daughters | Nominated | [25] |
Austin Film Critics Association Awards | 10 January 2024 | Best Documentary | Nominated | [26] | |
Brussels International Film Festival | 5 July 2023 | Grand Prix - International Competition | Nominated | [27] | |
International Competition - Jury Prize | Won | [28] | |||
Calgary International Film Festival | 1 October 2023 | Best International Documentary Feature | Nominated | [29] | |
Cannes Film Festival | 27 May 2023 | Palme d'Or | Kaouther Ben Hania | Nominated | [14] |
L'Œil d'or[a] | Won | [30] | |||
François Chalais Prize | Won | [31] | |||
Prix de la Citoyenneté | Won | ||||
César Awards | 23 February 2024 | Best Documentary Film | Nadim Cheikhrouha, Habib Attia, Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Kaouther Ben Hania | Won | [32] |
Chicago International Film Festival | 22 October 2023 | Best International Documentary | Four Daughters | Nominated | [33] |
Best International Documentary - Special Mention | Won | [34] | |||
Cinema Eye Honors | 12 January 2024 | Outstanding Non-Fiction Feature | Kaouther Ben Hania, Nadim Cheikhrouha | Nominated | [35] |
Outstanding Direction | Kaouther Ben Hania | Won | |||
Heterodox Award | Four Daughters | Nominated | |||
European Film Awards | 9 December 2023 | Best European Documentary | Nominated | [36] | |
Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie | 24 November 2023 | Best Medium or Feature Documentary | Kaouther Ben Hania | Won | [37] |
Georgia Film Critics Association Awards | 5 January 2024 | Best Documentary Film | Four Daughters | Nominated | [38] [39] |
Gotham Independent Film Awards | 27 November 2023 | Best Documentary Feature | Won | [40] | |
IDA Documentary Awards | 12 December 2023 | Best Writing | Kaouther Ben Hania | Won | [41] |
Independent Spirit Awards | 25 February 2024 | Best Documentary Feature | Kaouther Ben Hania, Nadim Cheikhrouha | Won | [42] |
IndieWire Critics Poll | 11 December 2023 | Best Documentary | Four Daughters | 5th Place[b] | [43] |
Lumières Award | 22 January 2024 | Best Music | Amine Bouhafa | Nominated | [44] |
Best Documentary | Four Daughters | Won | [45] | ||
Montclair Film Festival | 29 October 2023 | Bruce Sinofsky Prize for Documentary Feature | Won | [46] | |
Munich Film Festival | 1 July 2023 | ARRI/OSRAM Award for Best Film | Kaouther Ben Hania | Won | [47] |
Paris Film Critics Association Awards | 4 February 2024 | Best Documentary | Won | [48] | |
Toronto Film Critics Association | 17 December 2023 | Allan King Documentary Award | Four Daughters | Runner-up[c] | [49] |
Valladolid International Film Festival | 28 October 2023 | Golden Spike | Nominated | [50] | |
Women Film Critics Circle Awards | 18 December 2023 | Best Foreign Film by or About Women | Runner-up | [51] |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Shared with The Mother of All Lies.
- ^ Tied with The Eternal Memory.
- ^ Shared with The Eternal Memory and Swan Song.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Les Filles d'Olfa". Festival de Cannes. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "Four Daughters (2023)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ Eboulé, Christian (13 April 2023). "Festival de Cannes : qui sont les deux cinéastes africaines dans la sélection officielle ?". TV5Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ "Les Filles d'Olfa". Jour2Fête. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ mounir (31 August 2023). "" بنات ألفة" لكوثر بن هنية، الفيلم المرشح لتمثيل تونس في جائزة الأوسكار لأفضل فيلم عالمي 2024". أنباء تونس (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (21 December 2023). "2024 Oscar Shortlists Unveiled: 'Barbie,' 'Poor Things,' 'Maestro,' and 'The Zone of Interest' Make the Cut". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Four Daughters". thepartysales.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ Aftab, Kaleem (24 April 2023). "Tunisia's 'Four Daughters' is Cannes' only competing Arab film as festival shifts east". The Arab Weekly. Archived from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "Les Tunisiens de retour des zones de conflit seront judiciarisés". African Manager (in French). 19 November 2019. Archived from the original on 24 April 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "La mère des deux terroristes Rahma et Ghofrane : « J'accuse ! »". African Manager (in French). 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 April 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (6 September 2020). "Kaouther Ben Hania on the real-life inspiration for 'The Man Who Sold His Skin'". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ Blaney, Martin (3 July 2023). "Filmfest München closes with prizes, rising admissions and chatter about future heads of German festivals". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (22 June 2023). "Kino Lorber Buys U.S. Rights to Cannes Competition's 'Four Daughters' by Oscar-Nominated Kaouther Ben Hania (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ a b "The films of the Official Selection 2023". Festival de Cannes. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ "The Screenings Guide of the 76th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ ""Les filles d'Olfa" de Kaouther Ben Hania au Festival de Cannes". mosaiquefm.net. 13 April 2023. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ "Quelles dates de sortie en salle pour les films sélectionnés à Cannes ?". Boxoffice Pro (in French). 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "بنات ألفة Les Filles d'Olfa". Hakka Distribution. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "The 28th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Tunisia Submits Cannes Best Documentary Prize Winner 'Four Daughters' for Oscars Best International Feature". Kino Lorber. 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "Four Daughters". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "Four Daughters". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "Critiques Presse pour le film Les Filles d'Olfa". AlloCiné (in French). Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Oscar Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here". Vanity Fair. 23 January 2024. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Merin, Jennifer (22 December 2023). "2023 EDA Awards Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (3 January 2024). "The 2023 Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ "International Competition 2023 | BRIFF". Brussels International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Awards 2023 | BRIFF". Brussels International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "CIFF: Four Daughters". Calgary International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (27 May 2023). "'Four Daughters' And 'The Mother Of All Lies' Share L'Oeil d'Or, Top Documentary Prize At Cannes". Deadline. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ Mrad, Slim (29 May 2023). "Pluie de récompenses pour les films maghrébins à Cannes". Boxoffice Pro (in French). Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Barat, Mathilde (23 February 2024). "César 2024: Anatomie d'une chute sacré meilleur film. Le palmarès complet de la 49e cérémonie". Le Figaro (in French). Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (14 September 2023). "'Fallen Leaves', 'About Dry Grasses', 'La Chimera' among Chicago fest international line-up (exclusive)". Screendaily. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "59th Chicago International Film Festival Announces Award-Winners". Roger Ebert.com. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (19 October 2023). "'The 1619 Project,' 'Nothing Lasts Forever' Lead Charge As Cinema Eye Honors Announces First Round Of Documentary Nominations [Full List]". Deadline. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (7 November 2023). "'Fallen Leaves' & 'The Zone Of Interest' Top European Film Award Nominations In Main Categories". Deadline. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "37e Édition - 2023". Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (in French). Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (29 December 2023). "The 2023 Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
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- ^ Lewis, Hilary (24 October 2023). "'Past Lives,' 'A Thousand and One' and 'All of Us Strangers' Top Gotham Awards Film Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
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