Kaouther Ben Hania’s documentary, “Four Daughters” explores the trauma a Tunisian family experienced after Olfa Hamrouni’s eldest daughters, Rahma and Ghofrane, joined ISIS. The film uses actresses Nour Karoui and Ichrak Matar, respectively, to portray Rahma and Ghofrane, and Tunisian actress Hind Sabri plays Olfa, “when scenes are too upsetting.” (Sabri is frequently on-screen.) Olfa’s youngest daughters, Eya and Tayssir, play themselves. Significantly, Majd Mastoura plays all the male roles — Olfa’s husband, Wissem, a man she falls in love with, and an authority figure.
Eya and Tayssir are seen admiring the spot-on casting of their on-screen siblings, but this approach is not a gimmick. Ben Hania uses this layering to provide an opportunity for Olfa and her daughters to confront trauma through reenactment. Watching the family recount their lives and experiences in this meta production is fascinating. They work through their emotions in scenes that reflect on abuse and oppression. The actors rehearse line readings and work out motivations for accuracy. In one segment, an actor stops a scene and leaves.
