INDEX
Empowering Women: A Protagonist’s Path to Self-Discovery and Advocacy
-I heard that this film was inspired by the documentary ‘Hotel Coolgardie,’ which captures the harassment faced by two Finns working at an Australian pub during their travels. What specific elements of this documentary influenced you?
Kitty: When I watched ‘Hotel Coolgardie’ at the film festival, I felt it provided a very honest perspective on situations where harassment occurs. Excessive drinking often raises the “threat level” in a given environment. It becomes difficult to distinguish between a joke and something dangerous. I found their portrayal of these nuances to be very realistic.
-In the previous film, the protagonist was caught up in a terrible system. Why did you choose to center this film around Hannah, a woman who confronts difficult situations head-on?
Kitty: If I were to make another film with Julia Garner, who starred in ‘The Assistant,’ I wanted to focus on a woman discovering her own strength little by little. She doesn’t experience a dramatic transformation, but she gradually learns to say “No,” stand up for herself and her friends, and believe in herself despite her doubts.
-From my perspective, Hannah felt strong from the beginning. She had the will to avoid being exploited and would never tolerate unreasonable situations. What was most important to Hannah in her battle against fear?
Kitty: That’s an interesting question… I can’t answer it perfectly, but the fact that the two girls in the documentary who inspired this film were strong individuals is significant. I was very impressed by their ability to firmly say “No” despite being in their twenties. If I were in the same situation, I’m not sure I would be able to express my own will. I might get swept along by the situation or lack the guts to stand up. So, I wanted to incorporate their strength from the documentary into this film.
-Even you can sometimes get swept up in unreasonable situations.
Kitty: I believe I can say “No” to someone who harasses me now, but the women in the film are in their twenties and quite young. At that age, understanding the words is one thing, but being able to stand up for oneself and not be swept away by a different culture or larger forces is truly remarkable.
-It was painful to see Hannah get hurt. She faces the possibility of her close friend Lib being involved in rape and other dangers, and as a result, she suffers physical injuries herself. It made me question whether women have to go to such extremes to survive in a male-dominated environment. Why was this portrayal chosen?
Kitty: The main priority was to stay true to the documentary. However, since the documentary ended on a very somber note with the protagonist going blind due to alcohol addiction from diabetes, we kept the violent depictions to a minimum and included only a subtle homage to that aspect.
From my perspective, Hannah doesn’t suffer any significant physical loss; she endures and emerges stronger from her experiences in Australia. I interpret that she becomes more confident and resilient. If a similar situation arises in the future, she will be the first to stand up for herself.
-She learned from the experience and progressed to the next stage.
Kitty: I see this film as a road movie. It’s about a journey that significantly changes one’s life at a young age, accumulating unique experiences that lead to growing up. The film captures that moment of transformation.
