28-03-2025
Beyond the surface: 50 METERS sparks powerful dialogue at CPH:DOX
Following its successful world premiere at CPH:DOX, Egyptian director Yomna Khattab's introspective debut family documentary 50 METERS captivated audiences during a second screening at the festival, followed by a panel discussion titled 'Who Has the Right to Tell the Stories?' featuring Yomna Khattab, filmmaker Marina Vorobyeva, and visual anthropologist Haena Laura Na Blankholm.
Moderated by Jennifer Maria Matos Tonndorff, the panel sparked a thoughtful dialogue about the personal narratives woven into filmmaking. When asked, "At what point did you realize your father was not just part of the film, but its core? And how did that realization shape the way you filmed him?" Yomna provided rich insights into the evolving dynamics between her and her father throughout the filming process.
The moderator also inquired whether Yomna had planned the conversations with her father in advance, or how the scenes developed. Yomna replied, "In both ways, I planned some discussions, but I just threw out the questions and followed what happened afterward. Other times, he surprised me — most of the scenes in our conversation, he sometimes surprised me with his comments and reactions, and that's when things became more interesting."
She continued, "When I decided to make the scenes about writing scripts, that was planned, of course, because I wanted him to talk, since he doesn't talk in normal interviews. I had to play with him as well to find ways to express our emotions. The most interesting scenes were when he started to surprise me by asking different questions or having reactions that I hadn't anticipated."
As the panel concluded, the speakers were asked what they hoped audiences would take away from 50 METERS. Yomna expressed her desire for viewers to carry forward a sense of connection and understanding, while the others echoed the sentiment of fostering dialogue around personal and shared narratives.
Set by a fifty-meter training pool, Yomna, a first-time director, is struggling to make her film happen. She decides to turn her camera on her distant father and uses her developing film elements to approach him. Through writing fictional scenes, to drafting voice-overs, Yomna succeeds in breaching her father's shell and sharing with him her existential questions. By finally showing her vulnerability, Yomna is able to reconcile with her father and self before moving forward with her life choices.
An Egyptian-Danish-Saudi co-production, 50 METERS brings together several notable talents under Khattab's helm, including award-winning composer Jonas Colstrup (THE GULLSPÅNG MIRACLE), editors Gladys Joujou (BYE BYE TIBERIAS) and Khaled Moeit (SOUAD), along with producers Ahmed Amer of A.A. Films and Patricia Drati of Good Company Pictures. Additionally,
