First, I should give a standing ovation and a thunderous applause to the filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour for raising against all odds to bring out the first feature length film, to roll out of Saudi Arabia, a country which had no cinemas when Wadjda was released. It's a shame I could witness this movie only after a decade of its release. The movie though amateurish and rudimentary on certain aspects of filmmaking, brings out a great deal on life in general and the ordeal of women inside the Kingdom.
The story revolves around spirited tweenage girl, whose refusal to accept the restrictions placed upon her gender renders, while the story of the girl is both charming and slyly subversive. The main plot is cleverly well hidden within a deeply deceptive, yet a simple storyline, highlighting the sociopolitical problems, gender divide, patriarchy and life in general, the portrayed insights are sadly devastating to people living in other cultures to comprehend.
In lieu of restrictions placed on women in Saudi Arabia, director Haifaa Al-Mansour was not allowed to interact with her mostly male crew. She had to direct the street scenes from a nearby van, watching through a monitor and giving instructions via walkie-talkie. Despite the odds faced, Wadjda itself is a triumph of nuance and substance. The young Wadjda, with her love for Western music, converse shoes and a singular decision to beat a quirky Abdullah in a bike race is a case study in everyday female empowerment by itself.
Overall, Wadjda contains many brilliant scenes that will touch your soul, it's a brave and brilliant attempt to showcase things that garner much wider attention worldwide. If you are world cinema fan or love to have a peek into the cultures around the world, Wadjda is tailor made for you and is highly recommended. Though the movie is complex and painful at times to watch the oppression of women and girls, it is thought provoking and empowering at the same time. The cost of the bicycle which appears in the movie is about $230 in 2021. 8.1 stars out of 10 for this simple movie which will remain in your head and heart for a while. Two Thumbs up.
The story revolves around spirited tweenage girl, whose refusal to accept the restrictions placed upon her gender renders, while the story of the girl is both charming and slyly subversive. The main plot is cleverly well hidden within a deeply deceptive, yet a simple storyline, highlighting the sociopolitical problems, gender divide, patriarchy and life in general, the portrayed insights are sadly devastating to people living in other cultures to comprehend.
In lieu of restrictions placed on women in Saudi Arabia, director Haifaa Al-Mansour was not allowed to interact with her mostly male crew. She had to direct the street scenes from a nearby van, watching through a monitor and giving instructions via walkie-talkie. Despite the odds faced, Wadjda itself is a triumph of nuance and substance. The young Wadjda, with her love for Western music, converse shoes and a singular decision to beat a quirky Abdullah in a bike race is a case study in everyday female empowerment by itself.
Overall, Wadjda contains many brilliant scenes that will touch your soul, it's a brave and brilliant attempt to showcase things that garner much wider attention worldwide. If you are world cinema fan or love to have a peek into the cultures around the world, Wadjda is tailor made for you and is highly recommended. Though the movie is complex and painful at times to watch the oppression of women and girls, it is thought provoking and empowering at the same time. The cost of the bicycle which appears in the movie is about $230 in 2021. 8.1 stars out of 10 for this simple movie which will remain in your head and heart for a while. Two Thumbs up.