Wadjda

WADJDA is a high-quality double debut – the first feature by the young female director Haifaa Al-Mansour and the first film made completely in Saudi Arabia. Coming from a country where women aren’t allowed to talk out loud in public and public film screenings are against the law – where cinema does not exist (to say nothing of film schools) – WADJDA’s voice can be heard all the farther and clearer. But WADJDA doesn’t deserve attention only because of the director’s gender. What is impressive here is how skilfully, through a simple and sincere storyline, she portrays the status and limited opportunity of women in Arabian society, and the tense conflict between traditions and modernity. The film tells the story of a rebellious 12-year-old girl who in spite of the social system dreams of her own bicycle and pluckily set about to make her dream come true.

Made with great empathy and warmth, the film features scenes from the girls’ school and conversations between mother and daughter that seem particularly fresh. For the viewer, it cracks the door to a different and hitherto concealed world – the world behind the burqas.

Being a woman, Al-Mansour was forced in making this picture to direct the scenes essentially from hiding, through a two-way radio, as in more conservative city districts it would be inconceivable for a woman and a film crew of men to appear on the street. In some places, a crowd gathered and tried to drive the film product team away. It seems that it will be a long road before Saudi Arabia has a cinema, but considering that the Saudi prince was among the backers, we can hope that WADJDA will not be the last Saudi contribution to the world of film.

Tiina Savi