The intimate portrait of two sisters between the high seas of the Arctic and the south of France premiered at the Cannes Film Festival
Spotlight on mothers and sisters: POLARIS director Ainara Vera joins the SOONER Podcast
Ainara Vera, director and editor from Spain, has quickly established herself as an up-and-coming personality in filmmaking. In the SOONER podcast, we discuss Ainara's feature film debut POLARIS. The documentary film tells the story of Hayat and her sisters Leila. The older sister is an experienced captain who sails through the Arctic, navigating far away from people and her difficult youth in France. When her younger sister Leila gives birth to a baby, it promises a new beginning for her family - a chance for a better future for the next generation. We witness the sisters' worlds turn upside down, each on a deeply personal journey. In our interview, Ainara reveals how she gained the sisters' trust to accompany them in the most intimate moments of their lives.
The film celebrated its world premiere as part of the ACID programme at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and captures the fears and challenges women face in a male-dominated world. It highlights the difficult situations Hayat faces as a woman living on a boat with men for weeks at a time. Ultimately, however, POLARIS is a love story, not only between the two sisters, but also about female strength and perseverance.
