Greetings
valued Dan's Movie report and Action-Flix.com readers. I had the
opportunity to watch a very cool movie called 'Redemption Day'. I
wanted to know more so I sat down and chatted with
Producer/Writer/Director Hicham
Hajji .
He chats about getting the film together and various inside stories
behind the production. Let us take a trip to Morocco and enjoy the
ride with Hicham.
Chat
about how the idea for the plot of Redemption day materialized, did
you do some research on archaeological sites? In my review, which I
have also attached, I stress that much of this film, though
fictionalized is plausible, I am curious if you have seen or heard
accounts of things like this happening?
Thanks
for taking the time to watch the movie, and I’m really happy you
enjoyed it
I
had the idea to write this script when my high school friend was
killed during a terrorist attack in Burkina Fasso while she was
sitting on a bar with her crew during a mission for Amnesty
International. I wanted to write a movie where I show the point of
view of our part of the world.
During
the writing process, there was this interesting discovery in Morocco
of the 315k human bones and everyone was talking about this. I
thought it was very interesting and that would have been a great
excuse to bring the Kate character in Morocco, and of course we did
many research and wanted to add real life events in the movie.
I
saw that you also are listed as one of the film's producers, I am
curious with regards to the casting process, how much were you
involved, and were the parts write specifically for the actors
involved?
I’m
the main producer behind the movie, and therefore I was the only one
involved on the casting. I was very fortunate to have an amazing
casting director by my side, Nancy Foy, with whom I’ve been working
in close collaboration for almost a year until she was convinced with
the script and my abilities to put that on screen.
Once
we got the actors, I had to adapt the script in consideration and
give the actors a more attractive parts, almost like a customized
script
I
really enjoy the work of Serinda Swan, chat about her audition and
perhaps what ideas about her character she brought in.
After
we made the offer to Serinda, she liked the script and we had a long
conversation where she wanted to know everything about my vision
about the cinematography, the light, the characters. She understood
her character immediately, and created a back story between her and
her husband that made her character very credible and intense.
Did
you have time with the cast for table reads, for them to get familiar
with each other?
Unfortunately,
not. I was in preparation in Morocco when they started to arrive. I
had the chance to have Gary Dourdan two weeks before the shoot to
train with arms and his fight choreography. We spent a lot of time
together and it created a friendship or even a brotherhood that
created a trust between him and I that helped me a lot directing him.
Chat
about working with legend Andy Garcia, I am curious if his part was
written for him, and what ideas he brought to his character.
A
Legend. That’s the exact right word. I couldn’t believe myself
when his agent said he agreed to play the part. He came in the middle
of the shoot, as humble as a human can be. As a first-time director,
I thought he’ll be telling me what I should do etc… but he’s
always been this respectful actor asking for the director’s
direction, and he was talking to me like any other director he was
working with. Very respectful, humble and of course he was thinking
about his character and making him more interesting that what we had
in the paper.
Chat
about Serinda and Gary's relationship in the film, felt so natural,
did you have ideas how you wanted them to interact, or did they bring
character ideas to you or a combination of both, if they brought
things in, please let my readers know what ideas they shared about
their characters.
It
was a combination of both. They had great ideas creating their back
story. Sometimes they wanted to do more, like during the opening
scene where I had my vision and wanted to be straight to the point
without a theatral drama, but 99% of the time they were perfect, and
they knew exactly how to interact and how to be a natural husband and
wife.
With
regards to directing, are you a specific detail oriented guy who
likes to lay out everything, or do you thrive on the actors hired to
bring ideas to the table?
Well,
we have a script that I’ve been spending years to write and make it
as best as I could, but even though I believed in my script, I was
always open for good ideas. I’m the type of guy who’d listen to
my grip, for example, if he’d tell me “look, this shot would be
better if the camera is on tracks” or to my DP if he said “I’d
prefer to shoot this in a different time” or to my actors if they
propose me a better dialogues that feel more natural and interesting
and even adding additional information that I didn’t have in the
script. So I definitely listen, reject what I don’t like and keep
what is good.
I
noticed that two other writers are listed in the IMDB credits for the
film, I am curious how their involvement was, I have seen the movie,
is there parts of the film they adjusted or added to it, or did all
three of you collaborate in entirety?
I
came up with the idea to write this feature and wrote a treatment. I
then hired Samy Chouia to help me write a first draft, since English
is not my first language I needed someone who can use better worlds
and develop the characters. I was constantly reading his drafts and
sending pages and pages of notes until he came back to me with the
best version. After 8 or 9 drafts, I decided to hire a new writer,
Lemore Syvan, to bring fresh ideas and a new vision. I did with her
similar work that with Samy. She was proposing some solutions, I’d
read what she sent me, send pages of notes until I see it is going my
direction and that I had the version I wanted. After several
versions, I saw I could take it from there and I then was working on
editing the script, adding new dialogues, new characters and been
working on the script until the last day of shoot.
Chat
about the action, I felt it was more gritty and realistic, were you
ever pressured by other EP or studio to add some more like stylized
and explosions? Did you use military consultants for the flashback
action?
It
was very realistic because it was real! We had real guns with blank
bullets, we did real explosions, and since we were mostly shooting
the action scenes at night, it felt pretty real.
During
the shoot I was the sole producer deciding about how I wanted my
movie. Most of the others came later on and were respecting my vision
of the movie. Unfortunatley I didn’t have the luxury to afford a
military consultant, but I watched tons of war movies, and I tried to
be as precises as possible. Nevertheless, we used the Moroccan army
who provided me all the military equipment, and I had some very
interesting conversations with the Colonel that helped a lot.
Chat
about securing locations to film, seems like most was shot on
location, were there any issues with particular locations?
I
had 90% of the locations in mind while I was writing the script. I
was born and raised in Morocco, and been a 1st
Assistant Director for a decade, and then a Line Producer and a
Producer for 8 years. I scouted and shot in almost every place and
every city in Morocco. I took this amazing experience I had and put
all the most beautiful locations in the movie
Chat
about the final film, I feel that it told a dangerous, yet honest
story, was there anything you though damn, I wish I could have added
this in?
Yes
it does. One of my friend works for the US Government and he was
shocked reading the script and seeing all those back stories. I
really wanted to be as honest as possible telling this story and
explain what happens in our part of the world (North Africa). To be
honest I wish I could have added a lot of things, unfortunately we
had only five weeks of shoot and I had to be quick and efficient and
focus on what was important.
Perhaps
share a funny behind the scenes story you have not told anyone about.
We
stared the shoot on April 1st, 2019. Since
nobody in my part of the world has ever directed a Hollywood movie,
everyone thought I was joking and that it was an April Fool. Then on
the first shooting day, on April 1st, we.
Were in the middle of the desert, and had a huge snow storm, yes, in
the middle of the desert and we had to change the schedule ad go
interior
Chat
about your upcoming projects, The Moderator and the Sand Sea? Can you
shed a small tidbit about them.
Regarding
'The Moderator', that I wrote and produced, I had the idea to write
it during the lockdown, and we shot it a week after the borders
reopened. It’s a movie where are female hero is avenging women
victim of violence. A kind of Nikita in the modern times. A very
female driven story
'The
Sand Sea' is also a female driven story, this time inspired from life
events, where a young American woman has to fly to North Africa to
find and save her adventurous twin sister
Finally,
chat about Morocco, I read that you were born there, curious how the
average person view the English western culture, like the United
States and England? I feel that film brings cultures closer together,
allowing people to interact, perhaps share some of your thoughts.
Yes, born
and raised in Morocco, watched 'The Shining' when I was four, and
then felt in love with the movies. Hollywood movies are very present
in every country in the world, and they are translated in all the
languages. Since a very young age I was consuming a lot of movies.
When I started to work as a PA in the film industry, I was working
first on Moroccan local movies, but I would hear that Ridley Scott
was shooting not far from US 'Kingdom of Heaven', 'Gladiator', 'Body
of Lies', and many other big directors, so I was dreaming to work in
those movies until I made it happen and line produced Werner Herzog’s
'Queen of the Desert'. Then I knew I had to go to LA and develop my
own stories, because I’ve always been creative and learned very
quick. Making 'Redemption Day' was not easy at all. I had to prove to
a lot of people that I was able to do what I was telling I could do.
It took time, and a lots of sacrifices, but in the end it was worth it.
Thank you
for your interest in me and my movie Redemption Day.
Redemption Day
opens in theaters this Friday January 8th and will be
available to own on Digital and On Demand beginning January 12th
from Saban Films.
My 'Redemption Day' review: http://dansmoviereport.blogspot.com/2021/01/redemption-day-2021-movie-review-dans.html
