Tuesday 13 August 2013

Wadjda

Wadjda is a delicate story by Haifaa Al Mansour (a female Saudi director) about a girl that is trying to buy a bike in Saudi Arabia.

The film explores the difficulties of living in a devout society through the eyes of a young girl.

The girl's dilemma

Wadjda () is a bit of a tomboy.

She wants to buy a bike so she can race Abdullah () in a different tribe to her.

However, her mother won't buy her the bike because a woman riding is a practice that is frowned upon.

A chance

A school competition offers SR1,000 for a perfect recitation of the Qu'ran.

Thus, so it is that the less than devout Wadjda enters a competition to recite verses from the Qu'ran. 

Surprisingly light

I first thought because of the subject matter that this film would be painfully depressing.

In fact it is surprisingly heart warming and funny, yet still manages to tackle some difficult subjects about faith and femininity and the ending has a similar mix of dark and light.

I would recommend this film to anyone.

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