‘The Royal Hotel’ Director on Navigating Harassment: Empowering the Courage to Say “No”

Discussing Potential Harassment Situations Could Help Prevent Them

-In your previous film ‘The Assistant,’ you depicted the systemic structure that perpetuates harassment and sexual abuse through the daily experiences of a new assistant working at a film company. In your new film ‘The Royal Hotel,’ you also portray two women who suffer harassment in a closed-off male-dominated society. The story feels so relatable that it seems as if it could happen anywhere in the world.

Kitty: Thank you. While the film is set in an ordinary bar, I believe that depicting the story from a female perspective has made it a work capable of sparking widespread discussion.

-Why did you choose to focus on the theme of “harassment” again in this film, following your previous work?

Kitty: What interests me in both works is the process by which harassment ultimately leads to sexual violence. While it might not be sexual violence in itself, there are behaviors that can create discomfort or carry the risk of escalating into rape or violence.

-I have witnessed behavior that goes too far.

Kitty: I often think that if we could raise our voices a bit earlier, before harassment actually happens, we might be able to prevent harm before it affects someone. Instead of judging without room for discussion, talking together about situations that might be harassment, such as “Could this be harassment?” could be one way to prevent things from escalating further. That’s why I chose to address this theme again.

-Are you suggesting that it’s not just about having knowledge of harassment, but also about fostering more conversation and dialogue among each other?

Kitty: I believe we should have those conversations, and fiction films can serve as a good hook for discussions. For example, in a fictional film, you can use close-up shots to focus on a character’s actions or expressions. This helps to objectively show how certain behaviors can create an unsafe impression for others, even if it wasn’t intended.

-The screen allows you to objectively see how the other person might be feeling.

Kitty: Yes, that’s right. As a filmmaker, I’m aware that I have these tools at my disposal. By capturing how certain actions might affect someone’s feelings on camera, I hope that people can discuss their thoughts and reactions through the film. This, to me, represents an ideal outcome.

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.