Zach Youngs interviews the director of Three, after watching and reviewing here.
Zach Youngs: Who is a filmmaker who has had the most impact on your creative work?
Nayla Al Khaja: Ismël Ferroukhi’s The Grand Voyage and Karim Traïdia’s Polish Bride both resonate with me due to their raw, realistic approach that feels intimately connected to life and sensitive to emotions. The latter I’ve been inspired by their capability of getting the best performances, whereas it when it comes to film pulse, timing and the sense of unease, Roman Polanski had a big impact on me.
ZY: What were the films you watched in order to get a sense of how you wanted Three to look?
NAK: I watched The Others and Repulsion.
ZY: How much was Three influenced by western films about exorcism?
NAK: The film does have hints of western exorcism films but I was drawn to telling this specific story because it harkens back to a vivid childhood memory of mine, where I witnessed an exorcism akin to the one portrayed in the film, albeit with some creative embellishments. Beyond the supernatural elements, the narrative delves into cross-cultural beliefs, themes of mental illness, loneliness, and explores the profound bond between a mother and her son. It comes across a little differently than the western exorcism film due to having influences of Islamic exorcism and cultural ritual. Uses cottoning technique to block out airways so that evil entities can be released from the left toe is quite unique.
ZY: In the beginning of the film it’s thought that Ahmed is under the influence of an evil eye, is this a typical cause of possession?
NAK: Actually evil eye does not lead to possession but rather it is about envy of others where others due to jealousy (and envy) look at you and those around you in a bad light which may have negative influences. It’s akin to “The Secret” where positive thoughts could lead to positive outcomes, Evil eye is the opposite but it doesn’t come from within but from others who wish to see you suffer. That’s why in many Arab cultures we have been taught to not flaunt your wealth and be charitable to others. In Islamic culture you also observe this during the month of Ramadan as well. The progenitor of the possession is when Ahmed naps under a tree at night and also the dark ritual perpetrated by the family. It is a belief that when a person disturbs jinns at their resting place at night, it is a bad act that could lead to jinn(s) in either possession or causing bodily harm. It is well known that the particular tree is known as the resting place of jinns. If you observe in the film, the tree is in the middle of nowhere and away from other vegetation. The tree is neither alive nor is it dead.
ZY: What was the reasoning behind the first mullah’s betrayal of Maryam’s trust? Was it only for profit or does this group work toward releasing more djinn on the world for the purposes of chaos?
NAK: I left that to the viewers interpretation but of course in my culture some people in positions of power use their influence to profit off of people’s misfortunes in this case con-artists. The evil eye is not so much as an act of releasing bad influence, but to give enough hope that the victim’s can be healed and therefore this requires more visits resulting in more profit. Maryam is a successful woman with a child, she is trapped between her rational mind and her sister’s strong influence.
ZY: What drew you toward incorporating scientific skepticism in the form of a dedicated doctor character?
NAK: Medicine and mental health prognosis has come a long way. I wanted the Doctor to be the vessel of the viewer’s skepticism, to have it observe from a neutral and scientific perspective. Maryam is a cultured and educated woman, she thinks her son’s problem is not linked to religion but health related, well until she becomes extremely desperate. I wanted the doctor to be on the other side of the coin from religious beliefs but keep him in the rituals. In most exorcism films when the medical team stops the religious team picks up the battle. In Three, the doctor witnesses acts even against his will and stays until the end.
ZY: Was Dr. Mark Holly always going to be a character in the film or was he added later to deepen the tension between Maryam and Noora?
NAK: Since inception, Dr. Mark Holly was always intended to be in the film. I wanted to depict the impact of expatriates living in the UAE and how the city is extremely influenced by the West.
ZY: Did Dubai’s transformation into a hub of wealth, leisure, and luxury over the last few decades influence how you approached Maryam’s skepticism of traditional Muslim exorcism rites?
NAK: Yes of course, Maryam is a successful, independent and educated woman. I wanted to showcase the growth of Dubai through her success but also the origins of her customs using Ahmed’s predicament. She lives in a big house, sending Ahmed to expensive school, is a successful business woman, divorced, drives and owns a luxury vehicle. All this is to state the transformation of Dubai from an unknown city in GCC to a top ranked business and tourist destination. All this adjustment, wealth and knowledge lead her astray from her culture, religion and her origin. Success leads to neglect of her own blood and religion and hence her skepticism.
ZY: Do you have something in mind for your next project?
NAK: BAAB, a fantasy drama set in modern-day Ras Al-Khaimah, delves into the themes of grief and loss. A mother, grappling with the recent and sudden death of her sister, stumbles upon hidden tapes that unveil the dark truth about her sister’s passing and reveal long-buried family secrets. Two time Oscar winner AR Rahman will play a significant role in the project, lending his talents to compose the film’s music.
ZY: Where can people find more of your films?
NAK: I do have my films The Shadow and Animal streaming on Netflix worldwide. Three has been in theaters in GCC since February 1, 2024. We are exploring distributing the film to other regions. More on that very soon. Three is also the first Arabic film to use ai dubbing, by using the actual voices of the actors. The film will be released in Mandarin in UAE theaters on March 21 for the Chinese population.
