«Fiancées», a slow but successful documentary

Cinema Wednesdays - Ivan Garcia

Julia Bünter's first feature film follows the journey of three Egyptian engaged couples on the road to marriage. A short journey to ponder. But don't let it bore you.

In Cairo, as elsewhere, marriage is a milestone in a person's life. The documentary therefore focuses on three women, the «fiancées», from different backgrounds, guiding them towards marriage. Let's face it, Swiss cinema has a reputation for being a cinema where the documentary is king. As if the Swiss were incapable of producing a «real» screenplay... We feared the worst! At the same time, Fiancées could only be a documentary, given the delicate subject it tackles. And in that respect, it succeeds.

In 2015, Swiss filmmaker Julia Bünter moved to Cairo and followed three couples as they prepared for marriage. She meets Batool, an actress in a hurry to get married in order to be cajoled by her future husband Bassam. She follows the charismatic Marize, a Coptic woman with modern morals, during her manicure sessions and wedding price negotiations. And she films, among other things, a religious and social discussion between Randa, a Muslim fiancée, and two older women who disagree with her opinions.

Visit casting is varied, and that's a very good thing. We feared we'd quickly fall into a cliché denouncing the «Egyptian patriarchy», as well as a lack of nuance in characterization. Fortunately, the film's set-up avoids making judgments about the different worldviews defended by the characters. The camera follows the actions of the fiancées and their entourage, but the cameraman never expresses himself. No questions, no interpellations. The eye observes but does not comment on the actions.

As for the nuances, the viewer will quickly realize that the «all black, all white» approach must be avoided. Marize, behind her morals and beauty, is perhaps much more materialistic than she appears. The same goes for Randa, who was not forced by her parents to wear a veil, but chose to do so - or so we think... 

Director Julia Bünter's approach is to present a female point of view, without totally neglecting her male counterparts. We follow the various fiancées through seemingly innocuous events (doing their nails, going curtain shopping, visiting an apartment, etc.) right up to their wedding, or even their post-wedding period. The men, the fiancés, are also present in the documentary, albeit in the background.

If only women were thought to have «problems» with society, men are not to be outdone. Crushed between a stressful job, an exhausting marriage and family matters, engaged couples are also subject to high social pressure, which doesn't help their marriage...

Aesthetically, the documentary provides good transitions, focusing on more general events such as passers-by on the street or a flash of lightning in the sky. Visually, it's beautiful and very successful. At the same time, the documentary has a slow pace that doesn't make it easy to watch for everyone. Nor will its subject captivate all audiences.

Fiancées has a certain charm. It gives us a glimpse into the daily lives of people who, at the end of the day, look like everyone else. But enthusiasts, be prepared to take your time and analyze. Otherwise, viewing becomes complicated.

Write to the author: ivan.garcia@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © Xenix Film