“My Father and Qaddafi”, interview with Director Jihan K

Unveiling Libya’s untold story: A journey through memory and identity with Jihan K

The 82nd Venice Film Festival is honored to present Jihan K, the director and producer of the compelling documentary “My Father and Qaddafi,” showcased in the out of competition section. More than just a film, it’s a profound exploration of family secrets, historical reckoning, and the search for identity against the backdrop of a nation scarred by dictatorship and civil war. In this exclusive interview, Jihan K delves into the emotional landscape that fueled the film’s creation, revealing the personal stakes that made this project a decade-long labor of love.

Venice: A long-awaited premiere

For Jihan K, debuting “My Father and Qaddafi” at the Venice Film Festival represents a dream realized. The director speaks passionately about Venice being the ideal stage for her film. She explained that this project took nearly a decade to complete. “During the application process, my heart was always in Venice,” she admitted.

Humanizing Libya: beyond politics and dictatorship

The core of “My Father and Qaddafi” lies in its effort to humanize Libya, moving beyond the monolithic image shaped by decades of political turmoil and Gaddafi’s autocratic rule. Jihan K articulates a clear vision: to foster empathy and understanding for the Libyan people.

Through personal anecdotes and unearthed family history, Jihan K paints a vivid portrait of a nation yearning for recognition beyond its political struggles. “My hope would be that people can walk away from the film feeling a more human, empathetic connection to Libya, to Libyans, and to have a more personal connection to it, as opposed to always being monopolized by politics and a dictator,” she states.

The imperative of remembrance

Jihan K’s journey into the past was driven by an urgency to preserve not only the memory of her father but also her own connection to a rapidly changing Libya. She recalls the impact of finding her father’s body 19 years after his disappearance. When the country descended into civil war, the stakes became clear: “I realized there’s a chance that not only will I lose the memory of my father, but potentially my entire connection with Libya. This realization became the catalyst for “My Father and Qaddafi”.

Deconstructing the myth: Finding the man

The film delves into the complexities of knowing a person, especially one who has become a symbol. Jihan K reflects on the challenges of piecing together her father’s identity from fragmented memories, family stories, and historical accounts.

Jihan K wanted to know the man behind the myth. That’s why, despite the difficulties, she tried to find the deeper forces that drove her father because “when someone becomes immortalized as a martyr, you also come up with new barriers, different kinds of barriers, where people don’t want to actually… The truth can also be hidden because of wanting to keep him as a perfect being.”

A Portrait of Acceptance

When asked about the most rewarding aspect of completing “My Father and Qaddafi,” Jihan K speaks of creating a portrait of her father that she finds peace in. It allowed her to step out of the role of a “passive spectator” and become an active agent. It’s a film that has changed the director’s life.

Plot