Iram Haq is a Norwegian actress, writer, and director. Her directorial debut short, “Little Miss Eyeflap,” screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009. Her feature film debut, “I Am Yours,” premiered at 2013’s Toronto International Film Festival and was selected as Norway’s official Oscar entry. “I Am Yours” has gone on to win a number of prizes at festivals around the world.
“What Will People Say” will premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
IH: This film is about living in between two cultures and a painful love story between a father and a daughter.
Nisha, a 16-year-old girl with a Norwegian-Pakistani background, lives a double life. She is a more traditional girl at home, but she is like any other Norwegian youth with her friends. One day, her father finds her with a Norwegian boy. That event completely changes her life.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
IH: This was a story that was dear to me. I have been working on the script for several years, and I wanted to be ready to tell this story in a more mature way.
I didn’t want this story to be black and white. I wanted to understand her parents’ point of view and their actions in regards to social control. I also wanted to go deeper into the struggle between parent and child. I wanted to explore the different nuances and complexity of an emotional conflict that so many girls go through.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
IH: I hope the audience gains a better understanding of what happens when people are unable to do what they want. I also hope they they get a better understanding about what it’s like to live in between two different cultures.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
IH: It was great fun to make a film in several countries with different languages, cultures, and people.
The biggest challenge was knowing the right choices for my story and film. I always try to follow my gut feeling while at the same time focusing on the story I wanted to tell.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
IH: It took a few years to make it all happen. I wrote the script for several years. My producers and I then obtained funding from Norway, Sweden, Eurimages, and Germany.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at TIFF?
IH: That is a big deal for me! I am very thankful and proud that my film will be showed there. And, of course, TIFF allows the story to reach a larger audience — which is fantastic!
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
IH: I was once advised to start cleaning toilets and then move my way up from there because I couldn’t just start to make movies without experience. But I realized that hard work and the will to dare was the best way for me to make movies.
If you really want something, you will learn whatever it is you need from yourself. So, if it’s something you really want to do, just do it!
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
IH: Dare to follow your heart and dreams. Tell those stories you really want to tell. Make the movie you want to make.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
IH: Andrea Arnold’s “Fish Tank” is one of many great female-directed films. This movie shows a very strong and honest picture of a teenage girl’s struggle in a dysfunctional family. To me, this will always be an important story to tell.
W&H: There have been significant conversations over the last couple of years about increasing the amount of opportunities for women directors yet the numbers have not increased. Are you optimistic about the possibilities for change? Share any thoughts you might have on this topic.
IH: I really believe that change is going to happen, but this issue still needs a lot of attention. We need to be aware of this problem because women’s voices are equally as important as men’s. I believe in equality, and we simply have to insist on this change.
