Emily Atef is an award-winning writer-director. Her credits include “Molly’s Way,” “The Stranger in Me,” and “Kill Me.” She’s one of the six German directors participating in this year’s Face to Face with German Films campaign, which promotes German cinema to international audiences.
“3 Days in Quiberon” will premiere at the 2018 Berlinale on February 20.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
EA: Three days in the life of one of the biggest female stars in Europe, Romy Schneider. It’s a film about a 42-year-old woman searching for balance in her life, in her art, and in her place in the world.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
EA: Romy Schneider was a film icon here in Europe. I saw the photos that Robert Lebeck took during a three day session when she gave her last German interview for Stern Magazine. In those pictures I saw the woman Romy Schneider and not the movie star, and that’s what interested me — a woman going through a crisis, juggling between wanting to be a good mother, a working artist, and wanting to please her fans and directors.
These three days were a microcosm of her life. That’s what made me want to make this film!
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
EA: With all my films I want the audience to be touched emotionally. I want them to feel that this is not just a film about Romy Schneider in 1981 but it’s also about the universality of the condition of modern working women and having to deal with life’s challenges. I want to provoke a conversation.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
EA: Making a film about the icon Romy Schneider was not enough: I wanted make a film about the woman Romy Schneider [that’s both] raw and truthful.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
EA: In Germany we are lucky to have state and regional funding as well as European funding. There is a lot of competition but we were fortunate to [secure] a budget quickly. We had some wonderful support. The ones who believed in the project supported us generously!
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at the Berlinale?
EA: It’s wonderful. The festival is all about the integrity of the work, which I love. I’ve worked hard in the past and right now it’s a good time for female writer-directors — finally.
Being in competition is a big honor and gives my film international exposure leading to new and greater opportunities.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
EA: In 1997 I auditioned for Peter Greenaway as an actress. I brought him a short film that I had just made myself, inspired by that part that he was seeing me for. He called me two days later and said, “Bad news, you didn’t get the part. Good news is I loved your film and you should continue making them.” I never looked back.
I’m very fortunate — I never got any bad advice. Or maybe I just forgot it.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
EA: I believe we have to be more confident. Stick to your idea. Don’t let yourself be influenced by fear. Don’t get discouraged. Think big — if you work hard you can achieve anything.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
EA: I have many favorite female directors, two of them are Andrea Arnold and Claire Denis, and not just a specific film but almost all of them.
Arnold inspires me because of her raw, truthful, and brilliantly constructed storytelling [in films such as] “Red Road” and “Fish Tank.”
I love Denis’ work because of her visual, sensual, and poetic film language.
W&H: Hollywood and the global film industry are in the midst of undergoing a major transformation. Many women and some men in the industry are speaking publicly about their experiences being assaulted and harassed. What do you think of the recently announced anti-sexual harassment Commission made up of industry leaders? Do you believe that it will help make systemic change? What do you think needs to be done to address this issue?
EA: I think it’s a step in the right direction. Will abuse by powerful people disappear? I don’t know, but it will be much much harder for them to continue. Finally, the voices of these victims are being heard. The film industry as well as other industries have to shake up their structures.
We need to continue the conversation and uphold accountability — not just individuals’ accountability but also the culture that has permeated the industry for decades.
