independent cinema
Shot with elegance and psychological depth, The Alabaster Phoenix is a a moody film that delicately weaves past and present, questioning the notion of individuality itself. revealing a modernist sensibility. What is most remarkable about Tala Hobballah's cinema is her admirable ability to balance realism and psycological depth, achieving a sublime lyrical quality. We are honored to present Tala Hobballah and Marti King Young for this year's CinĂŠWomen Edition. Tala, tell us about your trajectory as a filmmaker and performer. What inspired you to express yourself in this medium? Tala: Thank you for having us! Ever since I was a child, I loved telling stories. Whether it was with my parents or a group of friends, I've always been inspired by engaging an audience with a work of fiction. I was always drawn to film because it reaches the widest audience. As an Arab woman, I've noticed there is a lack of people like me in the American film making industry. It bothered me but it has given me a drive. It makes me determined to not only tell my
story but help others like me tell theirs as well. We want to take a closer look at the genesis of your film project: how did you come up with the idea for The Alabaster Phoenix? Marti: I went to a film festival and sat through about fifteen short films and the only roles for women were 1.) those being sexually assaulted or 2.) those being portrayed as crazy ex lovers. Everything stemmed from a sexual aspect, which angered me. So I sat down and wrote The Alabaster Phoenix, which is about a fragile widowed woman who grapples with despair and dares to finally chased down her dreams. It was very empowering to write. Just to show that women can actually have stories that aren't sexually charged was really huge, in my eyes. We have been deeply fascinated by your classic approach to cinematic time and space. How did you develop the structure of the film? Did the overall structure unfold before the camera, or were you already