INTERVIEW - Rula Jebreal

The speaker discusses the process of writing a screenplay with Julian, comparing the challenges of living the life depicted to writing about it. They explore the decision to present their work as a novel rather than an autobiography, influenced by the political climate of 2003 during the Iraq war. The speaker reflects on how their personal experiences were perceived and the collaboration with Julian, who probed deeper into the story for the screenplay.

What made writing the screenplay easier for the speaker?

• Having lived the life depicted

• Collaborating with Julian

• Writing it as a novel first

• The story being fictional

Why did the speaker choose to write the story as a novel instead of an autobiography?

• To simplify the narrative

• To reach a wider audience

• To make it more fictional

• To avoid political backlash

What was the political context in 2003 that influenced the speaker's decision?

• The Syrian conflict

• The war in Iraq

• The Israeli-Palestinian peace talks

• The war in Afghanistan

How did Julian contribute to the screenplay process?

• By adding new characters

• By asking in-depth questions

• By rewriting the entire script

• By simplifying the story

What was the speaker's stance on compromising the story during the screenplay adaptation?

• They rewrote the ending

• They allowed minor changes

• They refused to compromise

• They were open to changes