Two years after the worldwide success of prettya powerful drama about the hypersexualization of children, which won the César for Best First Feature in 2021, director Maïmouna Doucouré returns with Hawaii. This Christmas story for the family, coupled with a reflection on resilience, will be broadcast on Prime Video starting this Friday.
The story follows Hawa, a 15-year-old albino who lives alone with her seriously ill grandmother (the great Malian singer Oumou Sangaré). Fearing that she will be placed in foster care, she hatches a plan: be adopted by Michelle Obama, whom she admires more than anything. While searching for her, she meets several personalities (Yseult, Thomas Pesquet) that will allow her to come closer to her dream.
“I wanted to honor an extraordinary character,” he tells BFMTV. “Maïmouna Doucouré.” This young albino has experienced a lot of discrimination because of her difference. She was bruised. She created a shell to survive. She gave him a strength, an unwavering determination. She wanted to create a paean to determination.”
“Proud to tell this story”
A story that echoes her career: “Nothing predestined me to be in this place,” recalls this self-taught, awarded at the Sundance festival. “I struggled. I worked hard for today to be called director.” Hawaii He also addresses his 4-year-old daughter, who is disabled: “I also wanted her to have a role model, a character who knew how to break down all obstacles.”
“I am quite proud to tell this story,” the director insists again. “My goal as a director is for everyone to identify with Hawa. If you’re 56 and your dream has always been to be a dancer, I look forward to seeing Hawaii It will inspire people to strive and achieve. The movie is for everyone, especially the amazing people who have been left out.”
Yseult is one of the personalities that help the young Hawa in her adventure. “It seemed obvious to me. She has an extraordinary voice. She loves what she embodies as well, and her speech through her songs.” Thomas Pesquet is the second personality to take part in the game: “He’s connected to the stars and we also know how closely space is linked to death. It was poetic-cosmic to have him in the movie!”
A Josephine Baker biopic coming soon
The director, who has been chaining projects since the success of pretty, is currently preparing a biopic of artist Joséphine Baker, who recently entered the Pantheon to salute her past as a World War II resistance fighter and anti-racist activist. She feels no pressure right now to address the life of such an icon. “I think the pressure will come when the movie comes out.”
She concludes, “It’s a long-awaited movie. It’s a legend. There’s a responsibility. But right now it’s too early to put any pressure on you.” The project will be carried out in collaboration with the children of Joséphine Baker. Now she has to find the right interpreter: “I already know who I want”, she announces. “Now it has to match and then it has to happen.”
Source: BFM TV
