Wadjda

An enchanting story from Saudi Arabia about a little girl and her struggle to buy a green bike. Wadjda is the first ever Saudi Arabian feature-length film, and the director, Haifaa Al-Mansour, is a woman, a fact that has sparked controversy in her homeland. Wadjda is ten years old and does not care about following dress codes or doing what is appropriate, and sees no reason why girls should not be able to ride bikes like boys do. The film Wadjda is not about sharply criticising Saudi society. However, it cleverly shows the boundaries that women and girls must respect, and demonstrates how these are constantly challenged. In this way the film shows the huge challenges that women face in Saudi society, without reducing them to victims with no hope of changing their lives. red

Haifaa Al-Mansour is the first female filmmaker in Saudi Arabia. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Literature from the University of Cairo, and a Master's degree in Directing and Film Studies from the University of Sydney. Her three successful short films and the documentary Women Without Shadows (2005) have inspired a new wave of directors in Saudi Arabia.