FAQ
Twilight questions, answered by a psychologist
Why Twilight hit so hard, who it moved, and how Into the Twilight Haze was made.
Twilight Q&A
Twilight questions, answered
Why do so many women love Twilight?
In Dr. Niloo Dardashti’s interviews for Into the Twilight Haze, the same themes came up again and again. Twilight taps a deep, primal desire to feel mirrored, heard and validated by a partner, and a longing, sometimes conscious and sometimes not, for old-fashioned notions of love and courtship.
Many women also said the story brought back memories of first love and the intensity of those feelings. As Dr. Dardashti put it, Twilight “tapped into a universal longing for unconditional acceptance and connection – not only from and with another person but within their own selves.”
Why did so many adult women become Twilight fans?
The Twilight phenomenon crossed generations and cultures, appealing to adolescent girls and their grandmothers alike. That cross-generational reaction, first described to her by the people she worked with, is what led Dr. Dardashti to make the film. Many women in long-term relationships told her Twilight triggered a longing for the first stages of their relationship, and for some it stirred a desire for more passion and connection in their own lives.
What is the appeal of Edward and Bella’s relationship?
Women interviewed for the film described wanting a partner who is accepting and deeply attuned, while still keeping a sense of unpredictability and gently challenging them. Many were also drawn to the slow-building sexual tension between Edward and Bella, and to a time when couples didn’t rush into sex, even while valuing women’s sexual freedom today.
Why is Twilight fan fiction so popular?
Dr. Dardashti told International Business Times that fan fiction is, on the surface, a way for fans to hold on to characters they loved. On a deeper level, she sees it as an expression of the yearnings the story triggered, the same longings that drove much of the mass interest in Twilight.
Do I need to be a Twilight fan to watch Into the Twilight Haze?
No. Twilight fans will better understand the addictive quality of the saga and their own motivations, but the film is really about relationships: what men and women want, why it’s often hard to understand each other, and how to bring more passion and aliveness into your life. It was made for couples, men, women and people in the field of psychology as much as for fans.
Is Into the Twilight Haze an official Twilight movie?
No. Into the Twilight Haze is an independent documentary by psychologist Dr. Niloo Dardashti. It is not affiliated with, authorized or endorsed by Stephenie Meyer, Summit Entertainment, Lionsgate or the publishers of the Twilight books.
Where can I watch Into the Twilight Haze, and is it free?
Yes, it’s free. The full 60-minute documentary streams on YouTube, and you can watch it right here on the Watch page.
Director Q&A
Questions for the director
Into the Twilight Haze is your first venture into filmmaking. What compelled you to set out and make this film?
I remember I was sitting in a restaurant exactly a year ago talking to a friend over lunch about Twilight. Right then, another friend called me and said that she had a friend who was having some serious marital issues and reading Twilight was bringing up a lot of emotions for her. Right then I thought "this is incredible. This must be the fifth time I've heard this in months." I had a flash about how interesting it would be to do some sort of investigation or study and then I thought "documentary." I practically had the whole vision of the documentary right there and then and started the process that night.
Describe the process of selecting women to appear in the film? Did you find that many of them had reservations about sharing such personal stories?
The process of selecting women was challenging. I wanted to interview women of all ages and ethnicities, but I also wanted them to be somewhat insightful about why love Twilight - I would ask them: Most of the time, they would say "Oh my G-d I love Twilight so much. I could NOT stop reading it when I started." And I'd say "Wow...so what do you think it is about Twilight that affected you so intensely? What did it bring up for YOU?" Once we would get to those kinds of questions it was pretty clear whether it would be an interesting enough interview!
Many of them said they actually never thought about it before and even when prompted, had difficulty tapping into it. So that's pretty much how we screened women. I didn't want it to become a situation where I was pulling teeth in the interview, so I tried to select women who had some initial insight into their love of Twilight. With practically no budget, we could not afford to have a ton of interviews that we were not going to use. I think we only had one interview that we did not end of using. In terms of the women we did interview, there were moments where it was clear that they had reservations about getting into certain issues and I respected that. But for the most part they were all pretty open about their thoughts and feelings.
As you can imagine, some were more comfortable talking about deeper feelings than others, which was fine. I have tremendous respect for the women who let us interview them and talked so openly about their personal lives.
Many of the women interviewed express a desire for something more in their lives. Most have found that after reading/watching Twilight they wanted more passion and or love in their lives. Do you think that their personal realization is a positive thing or are they longing for something that is impossible to obtain?
I think on all accounts it is a positive thing; however one of the issues that the film explores is what this "desire for something more" really entails. Sometimes it is simply a desire for more connection, excitement, and/or more intimacy in a relationship, and sometimes it can be more symbolic of an underlying need for something to be fulfilled within oneself. This is something that comes up for most people at various different points in their lives (a need/seeking for "more") and often it is tricky to decipher between whether that need can be met by someone else, within one's own self, or both. Again, we explore this balance in a fresh and interesting way that most people can relate to on some level - whether they are Twilight fans or not!
One of the most striking interviews in the film is with Dawn McCay, whose marriage difficulties manifested after she read Twilight. Yet her demand for true love is not tragic but rather self-assured. Do you think that her story sends a message of empowerment?
Absolutely. For one thing, Dawn felt that she was alone in what she was experiencing. In reality, numerous women (and men) go through what she is going through. Sometimes people hold it inside and never talk about it. They may act out or just feel perpetually dissatisfied. I think Dawn was brave to speak so openly and I think one of the messages that come through with her is that it is possible to question and challenge status quo. To think that one person can give you everything or compare your partner to Edward or Jacob is certainly unrealistic; but to make a decision that something in your life needs to change is one of the most challenging and sometimes necessary moves. Whether Dawn leaves her husband or not is not as much the point as that she will no longer accept how things have been. Ideally they will go into some intensive couples' therapy before deciding if it is "too late," as she said. I would say that her message of empowerment in a nutshell is to challenge complacency and work on the things that are making you or your relationship feel stuck.
More from the director
I thought it was too important a topic to not do anything about it. It was clear to me that for many women Twilight was a vehicle, if you will, for exploring some of their own longings and questions about relationships in general. It would be too simple to say what some critics say about Twilight depicting some sort of societally driven desire in women for a man to be their "everything." There has to be balance for most things in life and the balance of feelingwhole within one's self and feeling satisfied in a relationship is certainly a big one. Also, the process of romantic to companionate love is a wonderful yet challenging experience for countless people. Many women in long term relationships feel that Twilight triggers a longing for the first stages of their relationship and this is an issue that often does not come up until something triggers it. I wanted there to be a platform to talk about these matters and what better vehicle to do so than Twilight?