Sunday, December 1, 2013


Today I’ll be telling you about the movie ‘Wadjda’. here are a few reasons why I was am so impressed by this film. I’m from Saudi Arabia, a country which doesn’t have movie theaters. So, when a film from Saudi Arabia  achieves so much I will be happy to promote it. This is the first feature film shot entirely in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is the first feature-length film that was written and directed by a female Saudi director, Haifaa al-Mansour. Also, ‘Wadjda’ has been nominated for an Oscar award, it is the first film submitted by Saudi Arabia for the Best Foreign Language Oscar.

‘Wadjda’, is the name of the main character; a sweet, defiant, strong willed ten year old Saudi Arabian girl. Wadjda lives alone with her mother, her father works in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and is rarely home. The primary focus of this movie is Wadjda’s desire to purchase a bicycle and the lengths she goes to make this dream a reality. After asking her mother to buy her the bicycle and her mother refuses. Wadjda tries to find the money herself by selling  mixtapes and handmade bracelets. Finally she enters into a Quran recitation competition in the hopes of winning the cash prize, to fund the bicycle.

Some of my favorite scenes from the movie are when she is with her best friend/boyfriend Abdullah. He seems to be the one character in the movie that is unconditionally supportive of Wadjda. One of the scenes with Wadjda and Abdullah that really touches my heart the part where he teaches Wadjda how to ride a bicycle, he knows that he’s not supposed to do this, but at the same time he knows doing this will make Wadjda happy. 

‘Wadjda’ made me think about when I was a young girl growing up in Saudi Arabia, it made me miss my family, my friends and the neighborhood I grew up in. It also made me think about my the school I went to when I was Wadjda’s age. 

If you’re looking for a good film to watch, I highly recommend ‘Wadjda’.



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