Her quest soon proves to be a Herculean task; gaining access to the secluded lives of Qatari women is no easy matter. However, thanks to her unwavering determination and boundless patience, the filmmaker succeeds. She captures images that few others could have captured: unveiled women of the harem.
After a few months, she had gathered enough footage for a film about the Middle East unlike anything ever made before.
However, nothing turns out as she had expected: the Qatari woman enjoys far more freedom than anyone could have imagined. The filmmaker begins to question what 'being free' actually means, weighing up her life as a Western woman in a Western society against that of a woman in Qatar. She gains new insights: is a Western woman entitled to pass judgement on a culture that is essentially alien to her? She seeks to penetrate this culture with her camera as if she were a voyeur, a spy or Big Brother, looking for a sensational story.
The film's originality lies in its gradual shift of focus. The filmmaker’s story becomes just as important as that of the Qatari woman she is searching for. The two stories intertwine, leading to an inescapable climax.
Lut Vandekeybus has invested heavily in this film. She has not only worked and lived in Qatar for six months, but has also personally financed almost all of the associated costs. By doing so, she has paved the way for this modern, creative documentary.
Distinguishing itself from a reportage, this documentary reveals something that has remained hidden until now and offers a highly personal vision of the lives of Western (Flemish) and Eastern (Qatari) women.
