Wadjda (10) lives with her parents in a suburb of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Despite her conservative surroundings, Wadjda is a playful child who regularly takes things to the limit. When the girl wants a beautiful green bicycle, her mother is opposed to it: what would people around them think? Cycling is not a suitable pastime for a girl.
Wadjda doesn’t care and decides to save the money herself. Her mother, who is distracted by her husband’s desire to take a second wife, hardly realises what plans – often very unsuitable – her daughter thinks up to earn money.
Haifaa Al Mansour, regarded as the first female filmmaker from Saudi Arabia, tells an intimate story about a girl with big dreams. Wadjda stands for many girls and women from Saudi Arabia. The drama offers a glimpse of a society that is otherwise closed, with universal and familiar themes such as hope, courage and perseverance.
Film details
- Countries of production
- Germany, Saudi Arabia
- Year
- 2012
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2013
- Length
- 100'
- Medium/Format
- DCP
