Tal Barda is a graduate of Tel Aviv University’s Film and Television Department. She is also a graduate of Le Mirail University in France. Her directing and producing credits include “A Heartbeat Away” and “Habricha.” “The Wonderful Kingdom of Papa Alaev” is her first feature-length documentary. Barda is currently co-producing “Playing God,” a documentary with Pulse Films and directed by Beth Earl. (Press materials)
“The Wonderful Kingdom of Papa Aleav” will premiere at the 2016 Hot Docs Film Festival on May 1. The film is co-directed by Noam Pinchas.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
TB: Meet Tajikistan’s answer to the Jackson family. Nearly 80, Allo “Papa” Alaev rules his celebrated folk music clan with an iron tambourine. Beginning with his unilateral decision to emigrate to Israel, the gifted musician micro-manages nearly every aspect of their lives, both on stage and off. From every meal made in his kitchen to what instrument each member will play, the patriarch accepts nothing less than total commitment and obedience. Every child and grandchild lives in their single-family house in Tel Aviv. All but one, that is.
His only daughter, Ada, chose her own way in life, a sin her father will not forgive. As generations clash over new musical directions, competing personal interests, and Papa’s advancing age, the family show must go on — but who will lead the band?
W&H: What drew you to this story?
TB: The first time I saw the Alaevs on stage I was astonished mostly by one thing — on the stage was a girl, at the age of 15, playing violin surrounded by men. It was after midnight, and the club was packed with an audience. She played an amazing solo and after that, the audience applauded for a couple minutes.
I asked myself, “Who is this girl? Isn’t she waking up to school the next morning? What are the relations between her and the other men?” Later, I discovered that onstage with her was all her family — her father, brother, grandfather, and cousins.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
TB: I want people to think about their own families — mostly their parents, their children. I want each viewer to contemplate on the place they have in their family, their “role,” and the thin line between the price one pays to fulfill their parent’s will and, on the other hand, the great treasures we receive from them.
As a women and a filmmaker, I want the audience to think about the place of women in families, particularly in patriarchal families, and the strength and courage it takes to stand up for one’s desires and dreams — and the difficulties created if a woman doesn’t want to fulfill the patriarch’s orders and rules.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
TB: The biggest challenge was entering the family relations and dynamics of the Alaevs. They have been living with each other all their lives, and suddenly entering their living room as a stranger was, at first, very challenging. I felt that they were warm and in their gypsy way of living very welcoming, but I also felt there was a wall that I needed to pass to get to their hearts.
Strangely, the fact that the characters are performers made it easier for them to “pretend” and more difficult to “crack the walls.” But after spending time with them without filming — and eating so much food with them — I was able to get close.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
TB: The film was funded by broadcasters and film funds from Israel, France, the Netherlands and USA. It took a full and very intense year that was dedicated [solely to] finding funds.
I participated in development and pitching programs such as the Greenhouse Program which is a development program for [documentary] filmmakers from the Middle East that takes place three times throughout a period of eight months. This was an excellent and amazing experience that helped the film find its way. The pitching at the end [of the program] was a great preparation for the next pitching forums I attended with the film.
After that, we received a grant from the Tribeca Film Institute and attended meetings in New York with decision-makers and then also pitched at Hot Docs Forum, Sheffield Doc/Fest’s MeetMarket, and everywhere we had a chance.
It’s very important to have a great trailer and film proposal that will give a taste of what you are looking for in your film, content-wise and visually. And, of course, it’s important to be enthusiastic and be sure that you have a great story to tell the world.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
TB: The best advice I received was from an editing consultant that entered the film in quite a late stage and noticed how hard we were working on the film and how dedicated we were. Her advice came just in time. It was, “Be brave as filmmakers, don’t give up, fight with courage and sensitivity without compromising on your truth. Listen to your heart and your talent and never stop believing even when you get difficult feedback or negative responses.”
The worst feedback I got was very simple — “Hurry.” In the documentary world, I think this is the worst way to work and create.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
TB: The film/documentary world is an industry with a lot of men and it’s not always easy to find one’s voice. But as a woman filmmaker, I think — and have experienced that — women see stories and characters totally differently, and have a different sense of what to look for in a documentary scene.
As filmmakers in general, we have the ability to influence scenes, characters, dynamics, and the storyline of the film. I believe that as women we can and should use our senses and intuitions — that can really change a film.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
TB: My favorite documentary film by a woman is “The Crash Reel” by Lucy Walker. It’s a film about extreme sports — that are mostly led by men — and the limits we have as human beings. I feel that Lucy, as a woman director, managed to bring an amazing sensitivity to her film, making it with a deep truth and emotion that simply touched my heart deeply.
[My favorite narrative film] by a woman is “Monsoon Wedding.” Mira Nair is mostly a fiction director but started her career as a documentary director. Her films focus on Indian society, whether in the economic, social, or cultural spheres. For me, besides the amazing aesthetic [of her] filmmaking, the film is an anthropological experience. I love the way she deals in a very sensitive way with difficult subjects by adding a lot of humor and color.
