Hala Matar is the first of its kind. The director tells The Hollywood Reporter She is the first female director from Bahrain to make a feature film. After growing up in the Middle East and studying theater in school, Matar studied in America at the University of Virginia. By mistake, she enrolled in a film course, but it ended up changing the course of her life.
“I felt like it spoke to me more,” Matar says. “Because I feel like I communicate better visually. Theater is about dialogue.”
Now, his most recent project, Electrawill premiere Thursday at the Oldenburg Film Festival, which has a reputation for championing independent films like Matar’s. Co-written with Daryl Wein and Paul Sado, Matar’s film is set in a delightfully extravagant Italian palazzo where a journalist, Dylan (played by Wein), and his photographer girlfriend Lucy (Abigail Cowen) are staying with a relatively obnoxious rock star (Jack Farthing) and his artist partner (Maria Bakalova).
But no one is really who they seem and, as the days go by, what should have been a profile piece to save the career of a famous musician turns, as you can guess from the title of the film, into a kind of Greek tragedy. It could seem to the public like Anthony Minghella's love child. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Emerald Fennell Burn the salt (2023).
Matar spoke with DAY about like Electra was born, because she can't tell us who inspired these characters (spoiler: because apparently we all know them) and how being Bahraini pushed her to explore Western cinema with a freedom she hopes to see replicated in other Arab filmmakers.
How did it happen? Electra did it materialize and when did this journey begin?
Two years ago. I am obsessed with Italian cinema. [Italian filmmaker] Fellini is my favorite, 8½ It's my favorite movie ever. I've always wanted to make a movie in Italy, and I have another script set in Italy, and I lived in Rome for a short time. So I've always had that intention. And besides that, I was traveling with my co-writer in Italy, Daryl [Wein, who also stars in the film]and we came across this beautiful mansion, which, you know, is where most of the movie is set. So we actually built the story around the location.
I just wanted to explore themes of identity. I was thinking a lot about The Talented Mr. Ripley while I was writing it. In a way, it felt like a theater production, because we actually all lived in the building, even during the shooting. So it was a really cool experience with the actors and the crew.
I was picking those Mr. Ripley vibrations. I thought Electra it was almost The Talented Mr. Ripley-meet-Burn the salt.
Yeah, isn't that funny? Because I saw [Saltburn]I mean, obviously this movie has been made before Burn the salt it came out. So when that movie came out, I was like… [laughs.] I think this would be the best comparison.
Hala Matar and co-producer Daryl Wein.
Courtesy of Getty Images
And it’s great that you all lived in the building during filming. It took about three weeks, right?
Yeah, it’s really crazy. It really challenged my ability as a director, but it also made me more confident in myself in the end. Luckily I had good actors. I think I’m really happy with how it went. But I could only do five takes at most. We managed it and I think maybe because we all lived there, it was possible because in Italy you only have 10 hours of shooting a day. Nine with lunch. You don’t have a lot of time.
This film seems, in many ways, a love letter to Italy.
Absolutely. I mean, I have two other scripts set in Italy, so 100 percent.
Tell me how you wrote these characters, because each of our four protagonists feels very authentic in themselves. What was the inspiration in that case?
It was originally about Dylan, the main character. He and Lucy are trying to be other people. What I would say is that all the characters are not really who they say they are, and they are trying to be another character because of insecurities or because they are escaping from trauma.
They all have that common theme of identity, but in completely different ways. One is a rock star and he’s not happy with where he is in his career. The other is a performance artist who is also not happy with where he is and hides his insecurity by dressing super outlandishly and being really loud. And then I don’t want to give away too much about Dylan and Lucy, because I don’t want to ruin the movie. But they’re just running away. They’re pretending to be other people because they have all these ulterior motives. I’ve done a lot of music videos and I do art on the side. So I’ve been around a lot of music and art and I’ve come across similar characters on my journey as an artist. That’s how they came to be.
Did you take inspiration from real people you met throughout your career?
Definitely. I can't name names, because they're people you would know. [Laughs.] But yeah, I worked with some people 100 percent, which was fun, because they were real-life personalities that I worked with. It was nice to do that and then build the characters with the actors. Also, sometimes maybe [the actors] It would give me people they can identify with more.
You've talked a little bit about identity as one of the larger themes of Electra. Is there anything else that jumps out? And no spoilers, obviously, but what do you hope audiences take away from this film?
Identity, I think I struggled with that too. I was in the art world, I had a gallery in New York when I was very young, I lived in an art gallery and I was around big people in the art world. I wasn't who I really was as a filmmaker for maybe the first couple years after college, I had a lot of insecurities and I felt like I was pretending to be someone else and so a lot of that comes from my experience in my early 20s. I wasn't authentic to who I really was as an artist.
What I want people to take away is the idea of an unfinished business. The way the movie ends and all the chaos that ensues is because Dylan was trying to get what he wanted in a dishonest way. Whether it’s relationships or business partnerships, when you don’t face the truth or when you end things without closure, it sticks in your mind and it could drive you crazy. It could lead to disaster, as it does in the movie. So that’s the lesson: be honest and try to end things the right way.
And it's a film that's as much about this as it is about revenge…
You're right. The most important theme of the film. That's why it's called Electra!
Are you interested in these Greek tragedies?
Yeah, I do. I’m just more drawn to classical themes and classical literature, whether it’s, you know, Shakespeare or Greece. I always base all my stories on that and then do it my way. I think the reason I chose the title is just because it has that common theme of revenge and it also has to do with family.
You are originally from Bahrain and I wanted to ask you because you don't see many Bahraini directors, especially women..
Yes. I am actually the first female director from Bahrain to make a feature film. And I won't make films that deal with, maybe, Arab themes, where I come from. But I think Arabs are often labeled. I think people expect them to make films or art that deal with their identity. What I'm doing is exactly the opposite. I just hope that people from my part of the world, if they see my films, think, “Oh, I could also write a love story.” Maybe the reason why I was drawn to more Western themes is because growing up [in Bahrain]you feel quite limited. That's why my films are set in the West, because I feel that freedom when I write films set there. I just hope that people in that part of the world can find that freedom, because it's really hard.
Coming to Oldenburg must be really fantastic. How was it to arrive? Electra a premiere there? Secondly, this is a film festival that really supports independent cinema. How important is that, in an age where we see independent films being swallowed up by big budget projects or streaming?
Being here, I'm so grateful because I think it has the right audience that, in my opinion, would appreciate it. Electra. And then at the same time, it’s also really inspiring to be around other filmmakers who have similar motivations about why they’re drawn to making films and what drives them and just trying to stick to a singular vision and be authentic as filmmakers.
It’s only my second day, but the people I’ve met already are really inspiring in terms of championing independent filmmaking. I totally agree with you, because there are all these big studio films that are very formulaic and it’s tough being a filmmaker, trying to pitch and trying to get financed. Often, the industry pushes you to be more formulaic and tries to diminish your voice. It’s obviously a challenge to do things your own way and seek support in unique ways, you may have to do it outside of the industry, like the traditional route of trying to get studio support. It’s important to always try to push yourself and make authentic films. That’s something I’ll never walk away from. Otherwise, what’s the point of making films? I hope that message continues.