“Rabia”, interview with the director Mareike Engelhardt

Director Mareike Engelhardt debuts in competition at Alice nella Città with her bold first feature film “Rabia”. The film delves into the disturbing phenomenon of radicalization, confronting the difficult questions surrounding political extremism, manipulation, and gender-based violence.

A Tale of Radicalization and Entrapment

At the heart of “Rabia”is the story of a young woman who leaves her home to join the jihad in Syria, only to find herself imprisoned in a women’s house.

The film is based on real-life events during a significant period of global conflict. Between 2014 and 2017, thousands of young people left their homes to join jihadist groups, and a third of them were women. Engelhardt recalls her astonishment upon learning this: “They were between 14 and 20 years old… that in itself for me was unbelievable.”

The Challenge of Researching Extremism

Researching such a controversial and sensitive topic might seem daunting, but Mareike Engelhardt found the process surprisingly straightforward. She attributes much of her success to the willingness of the women who returned from Syria to share their stories. “I needed to get in touch with women… they were surprisingly happy to talk to me. So there was a real need of sharing their story,” Engelhardt recounts. The film is constructed from these real-life stories, with nothing in “Rabia” being invented. Additionally, Engelhardt worked closely with journalists who had extensive knowledge of these women, which added further depth and authenticity to the narrative.

Portraying a Terrifying Charisma

At the centre of Rabia is the character of Madame, portrayed by Lubna Azabal. Madame is a complex and terrifying figure, both charismatic and chilling. Engelhardt and Azabal shared a deep interest in exploring such figures’ dark, manipulative personalities. “We share a very deep interest in those kinds of dark characters, those leader characters, which are very intelligent and just as horrible,” Mareike Engelhardt reflects.

The character of Madame is based on a real Moroccan woman who orchestrated the system of female domination in Syria, and Azabal had followed this woman’s story for years.

Jessica’s Journey from Victim to Perpetrator

The film also features a profound character arc in Jessica, a young woman whose transformation from a naive victim to a brutal torturer lies at the heart of “Rabia”. Played by Megan Northam, Jessica’s journey symbolizes the insidious power of psychological manipulation.

“Why would they go? What are their motivations?” Engelhardt and Northam spent significant time analyzing the psyche of these women, understanding how individuals can be radicalized not through grand political ideas but through intimate relationships and psychological manipulation.

A Message for Young Audiences

“Rabia” has its international premiere at Alice nella Città, a festival known for its young audience. Mareike Engelhardt hopes her film will resonate with them, encouraging vigilance in the face of extremism. “It’s today more important than ever for young people to realize what it is to be manipulated and radicalized… be it the extreme right-wing or radicalized Islam… binary totalitarian thinking is a constant threat in the world we live in,” she asserts.

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