Interview Special: Elahe Esmaili: ‘The Doll’

Elahe Esmaili reflects on the different conflicts and perspectives of a 35-year old father’s consent to his 14-year old daughter getting married in THE DOLL.

Film And TV Now spoke with the film-maker on this and other elements of film-making.

FILM AND TV NOW: What’s fascinating about this documentary is how the parents on the one hand have their own personal regrets about marriage, yet are actively encouraging union and the teenage girl’s own desire to be married. How potent is this feeling generally in the communities you know well?

ELAHE ESMAILI: Yes, indeed it is one of the interesting aspects of this story. If I want to talk especially about marriage, I think the film is trying to show an overview of the community that it comes from. When you talk with people, in the first place maybe many of them don’t advise a teenager to marry. But I hear this kind of marriage a lot. Every year or every 2-3 year one or some of my relatives get married at 14, 15 or 16.

And it was actually one of my questions about this subject. I wanted to explore what’s happening to people who are not happy about their experience of getting married soon, or people that don’t advise this kind of marriage in the first place, all of a sudden repeat this for their own children? I tried to show a picture of multiple factors and concerns that came to the field and led these people to repeat it.

FTVN: How many families did you interview for the short before deciding on your subjects and was there much resistance to your film?

EE: Regarding first section of your question:

I heard about this family through one of my relatives, and because it was always a concerning subject for me, it drew my attention and I started collecting more information about them and I found out that it can be a good story to be told to explore the matter. So basically not a lot of interviews with different families, I was looking for a good case and when it happened I caught it.

Regarding second part of your question:

I think basically it is very hard to make films about this kind of subject. In many cases people don’t allow you to film these situations. Especially when the case is more kind of an arranged marriage and especially when that arranged marriage is because of money and etc.

But the thing that I liked about the case of this film was that:

• It wasn’t as simple as an arranged marriage that happens just due to financial issues. It was happening in a family that has at least the facade of a modern family. The father owns a photography studio, and looks like an up to date person in the community. They are in touch with social media, messaging systems, etc.

• Surprisingly, in some cases I found them very happy to talk about their thoughts openly because they had this feeling that they have the opportunity to talk to a camera about their beliefs and thoughts etc. Like a tribune. You see them sometimes talking about their beliefs proudly as if they are giving a statement.

• However it was very hard to shoot many parts of the films. When they wanted to talk about their personal story or comment about the story. It took me a lot of time to gain their trust and make this atmosphere for them to talk comfortably with my camera. I didn’t bring a big crew to the scenes so that they don’t feel strange. I kind of lived with them beforehand so that they felt so close to me.

• Viewed outside the culture and the community, it is clear that some will find it quite shocking that a loving father would consider consenting a marriage to a clearly immature teenager who is a typical adolescent at the heart of this film. Where do you stand on the moral implications of such a decision?

I’m not a society professional or master and can’t make a universal comment about the implications of such decisions but I can talk about my experiences and what I see in my society. What I’m seeing is that:

• Many of these kinds of marriages do fail after a while. Since they face a wide variety of issues; mental, financial, social.

• Mostly due to taboos and cultural barriers, women tend to keep the marriage rather than getting divorce, as a result you see many children growing up in dysfunctional families.

• Indeed lack of skill/education makes women dependent on their husbands financially, which is another reason for them to stay in the relationship. They never got a chance to educate as they have been given the responsibilities of a family and children so early.

I’m definitely not happy with this marriage, but I don’t want to judge only by myself. The film is also doing the same. It just shows what is happening and every person can judge by themselves, they can have different takeaways which are all valid and thinkable.

As an artist, I see this as an issue, I ask questions, spot it and wish to help social professionals and people in power to find answers/solutions.

FTVN: The documentary was shot during the current global situation. What were the key challenges filming and what are the local restrictions like at present in terms of interior and location shooting?

EE: Well, we had a lot of challenges. I never had the chance to shoot some of the scenes I would like to. The whole post production went online. And it was quite a new experience, we had to do a lot of Zoom or Skype meetings to do the editing, sound design and grading. As the film has so many important details in the story it was a time consuming process especially in edit.

FTVN: How long did it take to film?

EE: We shoot the scenes in several months, around 4 months from Feb to May. We had to wait for Covid-19 restrictions to be eased at some points such as the first scene so the father has a client(wedding photography).

FTVN: How did you raise finance for the short?

EE: Actually we are a team of my husband and I that we are taking care of everything about this film. And this film has been raised out of the social concerns of both of us. And we both funded the film by our own savings and we even borrowed some money for that.

FTVN: Tell us about the sound design of this short.

EE: It was so hard to do sound designing online, especially as I didn’t have a standard system at home. Also as it was only me and my cinematographer on set, sometimes the quality of the sound wasn’t so great and we had to fix it in the post production.

FTVN: What has been the overall reaction of the immediate family and the community in general?

EE: Well, they weren’t happy like when you make a documentary of a champion but they weren’t upset as well. And the thing is that Alireza is married now, and they are saying that Asal’s marriage is postponed because of COVID, however I’m not sure if making this film has had any effect on them to postpone the marriage, but they are saying it is because of COVID. If yes, I’m happy that the film has made any impact.

Regarding the general community, I have received two kinds of feedback. Some have loved the film, and could make a good connection with that, some said they got very emotional from seeing very truthful moments in the film. But from the other side I also have received feedback from some of my friends and relatives that the film is not aligned with their beliefs but they wish me best of luck.

FTVN: We understand that you are a BA alumna from Tehran University of Art where since 2016, you were ranked 1st among more than 150,000 participants in Iranian Art Konkur (national university entrance exam). That is an amazing achievement. Tell us more about this exam, the University itself and what its’ core mantra and values are.

EE: Well, in Iran all students have to pass a university entrance exam and are ranked based on the result of the exam to be allowed to enter the university. So every year millions of students participate in this exam in 6 fields: Mathematics (mostly Engineering courses), Experimental Sciences(mostly Medicine and Dental courses), Humanities Science, Foreign Languages and Art. The exam is very stressful and hard.

For most of the students, the year that they have to pass this exam is one of the most stressful years in their life. I’m not a huge fan of that exam. But if you want to go to university you have to do that. If you want to study in a good university and a certain discipline, you have to study more and more.

It’s especially harder in Art, as they ask you questions from any kind of sources about any kind of art in the world and you have to be able to answer as much as possible! Moreover, because there are very limited seats in universities for Film students in comparison to other disciplines.

Tehran University of Art is the best university that a student can go to study cinema in Iran. Graduation films of the MA students go to big festivals like Berlinale, Cannes etc. For example, when I was studying there, “White Winged Horse” won an honorable mention in Berlinale. Two other films went to Cannes as well: “Like A Good Kid” and “Lunch Time”.

I wanted to go to this university, although it was very hard to get in, harder for me as a married woman. But I set that goal and I did my best. I ranked 1st in the whole country.

FTVN: You are currently a student at the National Film And Television School. How are your studies going and what have you learned based in the UK that has helped you evolve as an artist and film-maker?

EE: I just started my MA course in Directing Fiction at NFTS. It’s been so educational so far, different and on another level with what I have done before, everything is way more professional and serious. That’s why I chose to be here and fortunately I got in.

I’m focusing on developing my skills as a visual storyteller now and I find the school the best to enable me to achieve that. Besides, as a keen learner I can practice and try new things in directing without being worried about how good the results are, which is a unique experience.

FTVN: We understand also that you are interested in issues like child marriage, child abuse, neglect, or violence by parents, rape, women-against-women, and social inequalities. What are your plans in terms of films focusing on these issues for the immediate and long-term future?

EE: I believe there are a lot to be pictured around all these issues in my region. Recently I have heard about this very sad news that a terrorist group has attacked a girl’s school in Afghanistan because they believe that women should stay at home, serve their men, no need to educate them.

Their belief is not so that if my daughter has a good suitor it is better for her to get married even though it might affect her education, they are attacking a school with bombs and missiles and killing around hundred of kids just because they simply want to educate.

I think it is normal that when such things happen everyday in your life, for your friends and people around you, as an artist your mind would be full of such concerns. I project my own life experiences as a child, then as a female figure in the society to all these beliefs and I find them problematic and would like to question them somehow.

For example, regarding THE DOLL, I’ve seen many friends and family members marry so young, and when I heard the story of Asal I was so disappointed, I was concerned about the girl but I knew they had considered a lot of different aspects of culture, economy, religion and all the other aspects you see in the film.

I couldn’t do anything so I was just thinking about the dynamic of this society that is leading them to end up with this decision. I made the film so that maybe someone else in the same situation will see it and reconsider/change their dynamic and their decision in the near future.

I would keep focusing on these kinds of subjects in my next films as well, although it’s a tough area to step in. Indeed I need some international support such as this academy award qualification I just achieved to draw my people’s attention to my films and be able to keep going in this direction.

FTVN: Diversity and gender are big issues in the creative arts at present alongside the ongoing concerns about the effect of the global challenge. What are your dreams and goals for the future in terms of building a bigger opportunity for female film-makers and artists like yourself?

EE: So true, it is a big issue. I think enabling women in the film industry and other art fields would be a very effective way of making the world a better place to live for women.

Accurate, precise and deep vision of a woman around women’s issues is the missing part of the industry in my country. There are amazing well-known female film-makers in Iran, but very few in number in comparison with men. Consequently, less resources and less support. I think education is the first step to enable them and the next step is to support them to present their talents and skills.

I really appreciate that these days because of diversity and gender, concerns and thoughts from female film-makers can get more attention. As a result you see me, a middle eastern woman, studying in one of the best film schools in the world with a big hope for the future. However, there is lots more to do, I hope it gets better and better to achieve equality. 

FTVN: Finally, what are you most proud of about this short?

EE: I’m happy that anyone who has seen the film, thinks about it for days. Some get emotional and as far as I know no one has left it indifferent.