WADJDA (Haifaa Al-Mansour). 97 minutes. Subtitled. Opens Friday (Ocober 4) For venues and times, see listings. Rating: NNNN
In this debut feature written and directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, Saudi Arabia’s first female filmmaker, 10-year-old schoolgirl Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) enters a Koran study contest so she can win enough money to buy a bicycle.
The premise is sly enough – females aren’t allowed to drive in deeply conservative Saudi Arabia – and Mohammed is appealing as the young heroine, but what’s even more involving is Al-Mansour’s depiction of everyday life for women in her country.
The sexes are divided – women and men are discouraged from working side by side – and women’s bodies and heads must be covered in public. The Taliban isn’t assassinating girls who want to get educated, but schools dole out harsh discipline to keep female students in line.
A subplot featuring Wadjda’s unmarried mother (Reem Abdullah, who’s excellent) and father – who has another family – echoes the theme of male privilege.
But the film still manages to radiate joy.
How did it get made? There was so much resistance in parts of Riyadh where the film is set that Al-Mansour had to sit in a van during shooting.
Top marks for persistence.
