The Interview, directed by Egyptian filmmaker Hind Metwalli, is a short film about a woman named Nadia who has a tough choice to make. She can either stay home and look after her suicidal mother or attend a job interview that could transform her entire life.
The film addresses women’s mental health problems in a way that is fresh and new to the Egyptian screen. It spotlights the humongous amount of pressure that society creates, and women greatly suffer from. To this day, many Egyptian mothers still consider any psychological issues, more specifically depression, and suicide, to be taboo, embarrassing, and uncomfortable.
Nadia, played by the immensely talented Sarah Abdel Rahman, is an accurate portrayal of every Egyptian daughter. She is polite, caring, and focused on her family. Nadia is a simple woman. She does not have much. Stuck in a toxic loop, she is always putting other people first. As a matter of fact, she puts her own mental health, physical well-being, and future on hold for her mother. Therefore, when she finally gets an opportunity she so desperately wants, she does not know what to do with it.
The film does not preach nor guide. It simply presents the social issue of how society deals with the mental health of older women. Also, it makes the viewers sympathize with Nadia. It highlights the struggles of caring for someone who suffers from depression and the toll it takes on them. In addition, it hints at the cycle of generational trauma. It shows the similarity of how mother and daughter deal with each other. It compares their anger, their curse words, and their physical fights. In doing so, it highlights that they are not so different.
The Interview amplifies a part of society that has been silenced for years. In doing so, it gives women an opportunity to be free and speak up about their mental health issues.
