Wadjda is a free-spirited young girl who doesn't quite fit into the strict culture which Saudia Arabia provides. Living in the suburb of Riyadh, Wadjda is determined to raise enough money purchase a bicycle even in a society that deems this type of behavior to be against a woman's virtue. Haifaa Al-Mansour's Wadjda is an eye opening expose into a woman's "place" in Saudi Arabian society. Woman are viewed essentially as an accessory for men, with everything they do stemming from their desire to appease men. There is a utter lack of independence in this society and Wadjda tackles this issue with grace. Waad Mohammed gives a great performance as Wadjda, adding a good amount of spunk/attitude to her performance that really makes the character very likeable, especially in a strict traditional culture like this one. She could be classified as rebellious but it isn’t just Wadjda who gets in trouble by this oppressive culture. We see how this culture essentially opposes young people’s ability to learn and grow. The relationship between Wadjda and the boy with the bike is important, illustrating how this younger generation hasn’t yet fully been “brainwashed” into this culture of feminism oppression. They treat each other more like equals, with the boy letting Wadjda ride his bike, something that would be forbidden in this culture. Females have no independence at all, just a mystique of one that is perfectly illustrated when Wajdja wins a contest only to learn that the prize money has already been designated somewhere with Wadjda having no real say. Haifaa Al-Mansour's Wadjda is an important film which tackles the oppression females face in Saudia Arabian culture with power and grace 8/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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