His Three Daughters is a bittersweet, poignant, and at times humorous film about three estranged sisters who come together to watch over their ailing father in his final days. Set in his cramped apartment in New York City, this family saga is perfectly cast with Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and Natasha Lyonne, and written and directed by Azazel Jacobs (French Exit).
The women embody three distinct archetypes. Katie (Coon) is the quintessential older sibling, often taking charge and asserting control. Christina (Olsen), the youngest, is a peace-loving free spirit who shies away from conflict, and Rachel (Lyonne), their rebellious half-sister, is a stoner living with their father without any visible means of financial support. Their journey is a reflection of the complex dynamics that exist in most families, from resentment to compassion.
Together with the three leading ladies, the esteemed director joins on Zoom to discuss the movie, already garnering rave reviews. Azazel opens the discussion by explaining why this film is deeply personal to him. “I’ve grown up very, very close to my parents and inspired and encouraged by them. I always dreaded losing them, and then suddenly this thing that seemed very far away was very, very close,” he says. “I’d gone through it with close friends and other people that I’ve loved. But this thing was a way for me to kind of confront some fears and hopes that I had before going through it myself.”
Naturally, unless tragedy befalls us personally, we will all experience the loss of a parent. Olsen offers, “I assumed this film was going to be a really personal and passionate experience – and it was.” Olsen is familiar with sisterly dynamics as the youngest sibling of her famous older twin sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley, former TV stars (Full House) who founded their luxury clothing brand, The Row.
The film’s exploration of the death of a loved one is a universal theme that resonates with all of us. It not only reminds us of our own experiences with grief but also of the shared human experience of loss. Coon aptly points out, “Our job is then to help the grieving person because we are all living in a state of grief, day to day. By highlighting that experience, it lets somebody else feel that they’re welcome to also feel the full breadth of their complex, 360-prism around what it means to be alive in a world that ends. It’s good to talk about death.”
She continues. “I always feel like the job is to realise that we’re actually having a pretty universal experience where everybody feels like they’re sort of doing it wrong, but also, doing it right and doing it beautifully. And of course, you don’t know when that oncoming train may come your way,” she says on the subject of mortality.
Lyonne adds, “I always welcome the opportunity to investigate something like the mortality of my parents. And that’s why you’re an actor. The invitation to explore maybe something you haven’t actually experienced, yet imaginatively, is actually very instructive, and the act can be very expansive,” she says. “The act of making something can make you more human in a way, and I appreciate that about this film.”
What is interesting is the dynamic between the siblings in that they each feel like an outsider within their own family. Lyonne nods in agreement. “Aren’t we outsiders everywhere? Doesn’t everybody feel like an outsider everywhere?” She pauses. “I come from a family of five kids, so everybody in this movie exists on some level inside of my own family. Including me as a controlling older sister,” she chuckles, admitting that she relates to Carrie Coon’s character.
The film also delves into the characters’ personal growth, a journey that resonates with many of us. Lyonne reflects, “It’s so hard to be a person. And I’ve had people come up to me in screenings and say, ‘I’m such a Katie. I can just feel their inclination to control.’” She laughs. “And what’s interesting is that Katie, despite her controlling nature, is incapable of making a wholehearted apology. Yet, her sisters accept whatever version of that she can offer because they know who she is on some level. Aza really captured this aspect of personal growth in a very real way in the script.”
Carrie adds, “There’s such a relief when you talk to somebody and you’re like, ‘Gosh, you seem so together.’ And then they start telling you about their family members. You’re like, oh, you too! ” she laughs. “And you realise, ‘Hey, I’m not a weirdo!’”
His Three Daughters will be released on Netflix on 20 September.
