Manon Dumais, La Presse – Published June 19
In The Hourglass, Kim Nguyen brings to the screen the story of Edith Blais, who was kidnapped alongside her travelling companion, Luca Tacchetto, by jihadist forces in the Sahara. La Presse spoke with the filmmaker shortly after the completion of principal photography.
Whether filming in North Africa (The Hummingbird Project, Eye on Juliet), Sub-Saharan Africa (War Witch), or the Arctic (Two Lovers and a Bear), Kim Nguyen seems to find the perfect creative playground in remote, desert landscapes.
“People often say you spend your whole career making the same film,” jokes the director during an interview at the offices of Item 7, Pierre Even’s production company (Days of Happiness, Maria Chapdelaine). “Besides, in the desert, the dunes are constantly shifting. In filmmaking, I believe strongly in the idea of the mandala. We think we’re creating things that will last 200 years, but on the timescale of the planet, that’s nothing.”
For his ninth feature film, the opportunity to return to the desert came through Edith Blais, author of The Hourglass: Hostage in the Sahara for 450 Days (Éditions de l’Homme, 2021).
“More and more, I enjoy being invited to tell other people’s stories. I felt a responsibility to tell this one because it had been entrusted to me. Edith was deeply involved in writing the screenplay. She developed an almost photographic memory and was able to provide incredibly precise details. She was extraordinarily generous.” — Kim Nguyen
Knowing that Edith Blais had spent fifteen months in captivity—including six months in complete isolation—held by an Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group, Nguyen initially worried that The Hourglass might become a static film.
“Then I realized she’d actually been constantly on the move. Suddenly there was a film to be made—and a Quebec heroine to bring to the screen. I made this film for Quebec audiences, especially for young people here who need new heroes, to pay tribute to heroes who belong to us.”
Searching for the Woman
During the long months of captivity endured by Edith Blais and her travelling companion Luca Tacchetto, they were deprived of water, food, and human companionship. It is an ordeal few people can imagine surviving.
“Edith told me that her adolescence had prepared her for the isolation she experienced. She often talks about having suffered from agoraphobia at that time. There was something strangely familiar to her about being isolated for such a long period. What strikes me most is that she didn’t come back psychologically broken.” — Kim Nguyen
To portray such an extraordinary woman, Nguyen knew he needed an exceptional actress.
“To be perfectly honest, I didn’t cast Marine Johnson because she looked like Edith, but because she was simply the best actress. I loved working with her. I’d compare her to Céline Bonnier in the way she works—her visceral approach and her intuition.”
Although Italian-Swiss actor Luca Colucci bears little physical resemblance to Luca Tacchetto, Nguyen believes he captures his spirit and energy. Like his co-star, Colucci corresponded with the real Tacchetto before filming began.
“Marine also spent time with Edith. It was really important that Edith and Luca were involved from the very beginning so they wouldn’t end up rejecting the film afterward. Not that they have to—we own the film, and it’s a work of fiction—but it’s wonderful to have their support for what we’re trying to do.”
A Poetic Road Movie
During her captivity, Edith Blais turned to poetry. When she finally escaped, risking her life in the process, she managed to save around fifty of her poems. Some were recreated for the film.
Although Nguyen uses voice-over narration, he insists that the character never recites poetry on screen.
“I suggest that she’s writing, but I let the poetry of the landscape itself convey the richness of what those experiences inspired in her.”
A co-production between Canada, France, and Spain, The Hourglass was filmed primarily in March in the Canary Islands, whose landscapes closely resemble those of Mali. Additional scenes were shot in Casablanca, Morocco, in April.
“We also spent a week in May filming at a sand quarry in Mirabel. It’s funny because Pierre Even and I underestimated just how complex the film would be. It was challenging because the characters go on hunger strikes, their hair grows over 450 days—Edith’s dreadlocks became a production challenge of their own—and we had to track the gradual deterioration of the clothing. On top of that, we were constantly jumping through time.”
Eager to collaborate with new creative partners, Nguyen brought in cinematographer Mathieu Laverdière to oversee the film’s visual style.
“I also wanted to work with much lighter cameras. Mathieu was completely on board, which allowed us to improvise on set. We were like five-year-old kids!”
Distributed in Quebec by Films Opale and Entract Films, The Hourglass is scheduled for theatrical release in 2027.
