Writer-director May el-Toukhy worked in theater before moving to film. In addition to her feature directorial debut “Long Story Short,” she has directed radio dramas, stage plays, and episodes of the award-winning TV series “The Legacy” and “Ride Upon the Storm.”
“Queen of Hearts” premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on January 26.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
ME: The film contains a lot of themes, but the most prominent one is the longing to be seen.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
ME: I set out to tell a story about a family secret. I wanted to explore power structures within a family setting, and to investigate the responsibilities that come with being powerful.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
ME: I want them to place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters, and survey what they would have done themselves under the given circumstances. Which path would they have traveled?
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
ME: The biggest challenge has been for me to lean into a main character who has a very complex — and at times darkened –psychology. I had to dig deeper within myself in order to direct it and stand up for the main character in every scene in order to make the story nuanced and relevant.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
ME: The film was financed through the state financing system in Denmark called the Danish Film Institute, and the Swedish Film Institute, with support from the national TV stations in both Denmark and Sweden, and Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
ME: The urge to explore the human condition through fiction in order to get wiser in real life.
I love being a director because it combines so many of the art forms I love: fictional text, images, design, music, and the list goes on and on.
W&H: What’s the best advice you’ve received?
ME: “Maybe the solution to the problem is the opposite of what you think,” meaning that sometimes it can be helpful moving in the direct opposite direction than you are inclined to.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
ME: To all directors: Stay true to yourself and your artistic voice. Do not try to be a guy unless you want to be a guy.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film.
ME: Jane Campion’s “The Piano”; Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty”; Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation”; Lynne Ramsay’s “Ratcatcher”; and Andrea Arnold’s “Fish Tank.”
W&H: It’s been a little over a year since the reckoning in Hollywood and the global film industry began. What differences have you noticed since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements launched?
ME: I have noticed that it is not considered shameful, for either men or women, to publicly identify as feminist: someone who believes in gender equality. The conversation about the need for change is continuing. Hopefully, the good intentions will start showing in statistics about the industry.
