For Razane Jammal, playing the lead role of Salama in the UAE-produced horror film Djinn was a truly traumatic experience.
Speaking during the Abu Dhabi Film Festival at the Emirates Palace, the Lebanese actress recalls the effects that portraying a housewife being tormented by supernatural beings had on her mental well-being.
“In order to play Salama I really had to believe what was happening to her. I had to believe in the djinn, I couldn’t just pretend ‘oh I’m so scared’,” she says.
“I really had to mind-twist myself, I had to go deep into things in the past that traumatised me. I opened a lot of wounds and it was hard to snap out of it after the film.”
Because of this, once filming was over, Jammal found herself in a state of despondency.
“I did go into a depression for about a month and it was very dark. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I was crying all the time and I was very unhappy,” she says.
“I was all alone in LA, so it was a very difficult time. So I started doing a lot of yoga, tai chi, meditation and I saw shamans – and this all healed me.”
The experience has changed her beliefs about the djinn.
“Now I understand that djinns do exist, but the key is not to fear them and they will not hurt you. If you feel they are bugging you, you just have to yell at them like you would a little kid.”
The film premiered to a packed auditorium at the Emirates Palace on Friday evening. Thus far, the response to the movie has been generally positive, with extra praise for Jammal’s performance.
Before its screening, she was so unsure about her rendering of the role that she feared she might be up for a Razzie, the awards that honour the worst in film.
“When I watch myself I hate myself in everything that I do,” she says. “But when I went out [after the premiere], everyone was so warm and welcoming and generous with their words.”
She also sees it as triumph that the film, which has been beset by delays, made it to the big screens.
“It’s been two years and a half and I never actually thought it was going to happen,” she explains.
“There were problems in post-production and problems with the story that had to be fixed. I wasn’t really involved in that process, but we did do some reshoots in LA this year and this is when I thought perhaps this is really going out.”
The film goes on general release in the UAE on Thursday.
Jammal believes it could set a benchmark for other locally produced movies.
“I do hope there will be more horror films made in the UAE, plus films that tackle taboo subjects like children’s rights, women’s rights, or housekeepers who are mistreated,” she says.
“These topics need to be talked about. If a horror film is a stepping stone, so be it.”
And despite the traumas of making Djinn, if its producers call her agent asking her to star in a sequel, would she sign up?
Without a moment’s hesitation she exclaims: “I would do it in a heartbeat.”
hberger@thenational.ae
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Honeymoonish
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Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
More on Quran memorisation:
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid