Interview with the director of "The Inevitable journey to find a wedding dress" at RSIFF

THE INEVITABLE JOURNEY TO FIND A WEDDING DRESS screening at Red Sea International Film Festival

Interview with the director Jaylan Auf by Emmanuel Itier

 Egyptian director Jylan Auf has put together a charming jewel full of humanity and splendor. ‘The Inevitable journey to find a wedding dress’ follows ‘Warda’ who, on the eve of her wedding, has a disastrous incident with her gear. Then begins a journey across Cairo to find the perfect new dress but beyond, to truly find herself. This is not only a full of love, full of life beautiful ballad through the human soul but it’s also a study about relationships, about family and about self-love.  The wedding dress becomes a symbol about Warda’s own womanhood and the choice she has to make for herself. This beautiful film will wake your inner thirst for self-discovery and for true independence, in a world that constantly tries to put you on a “hanger” telling you what to do with your life. On the contrary, get on the path of life and go embrace your destiny, the one you choose truly for your happiness.

We met during the Red Sea International film festival with the brilliant and beautiful Jaylan Auf. One can only be in awe with her talent and her intelligence. Seat down with us and let’s enter the conversation.

Q: Where did the idea come from to make this film and how did you make it happen?

Jaylan: The idea of the film is already in the title as you can see. The wedding dress is a vehicle that moves the events from one point to the next. It’s really about those two women who are roaming the city and their relationships with one another, as well as the relationships to themselves. It’s also about their relationship to the city. The wedding dress is the dream that becomes very close but that always slips aways from their hands. Each time they come close to achieve what they want but it never materializes. It was important for me to portray this roller-coaster of emotions, of ups and downs. And the continuous challenge of facing failures but never giving up. And how you act with other people to overcome these challenges.

Q: Was this story based on something that happened to you?

Jaylan: I come from a documentary background. And I worked on a short documentary about weddings in Egypt. I was filming with different brides and what really structed me was what happens after the moment of achieving your dreams of findind the perfect dress and what comes next. You go back to the idea of emotional roller-coaster. What does the wedding dress truly represent. What is possible and what is impossible. It’s about facing your big dreams and making them smaller and achievable. But what happens if you can’t even achieve the smallest dream you set for yourself. It raises lots of questions. Films are made for to raise questions and not necessarily to give answer.  It’s all about the communication and the conversation that comes from it. I hope the audience will have its own conversation about the film and themselves and their dreams.

Q: What does a wedding dress represent for you, since I can see with your ring on your finger, that you are married? Was it a journey to find your own wedding dress?

Jaylan: Yes, it sure was a journey. For me the dress doesn’t represent being married but it represents what we think our childhood dreams are. How it shapes lots of little girls. It’s really about the ability to be able to dream about something bigger than the marriage. It’s about finding yourself.

Q: What challenges did you face making this film?

Jaylan: This is my first feature. Therefore, finding the financing wasn’t easy. But I was fortunate with the producer of the film. We also have big names, and it was hard to get them on board.  The film is shot in real exterior locations and in a very busy city: Cairo. The city is part of the city, and it could not have been possible to shoot in a studio. So, it costs more time and money, but it was totally worth it.

Q: What are your hopes for this film and the impact it creates with people?

Jaylan: I saw at the screening yesterday that people got the human side of my film. They got it and they could understand what these young women go through. People seem to identify with them and their journey. Maybe because it’s also about their own journey. They felt the vibe of this roller-coaster and I’m very pleased about this. It’s all about the possibility of putting in motion your dreams. I hope they follow their dreams and put them into motion, not matter what is the outcome. It’s all about doing it and not just talking about it.