Sabah (2005)

One day, when Sabah least expects it, she falls in love with the wrong man. She's Muslim, he's not. Unbeknownst to her family, she goes on a whirlwind affair before both culture and love collide.

Director:

Ruba Nadda

Writer:

Ruba Nadda

Stars:

Arsinée Khanjian, Shawn Doyle, Fadia Nadda

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Arsinée Khanjian	...	Sabah
Shawn Doyle	...	Stephen
Fadia Nadda	...	Souhaire
Jeff Seymour	...	Majid
Kathryn Winslow	...	Amal
David Alpay	...	Mustafa
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aaron Abrams	...	Paramedic
Kaylen Christensen	...	Girlfriend
Setta Keshishian	...	Um Mouhammed - Sabah's Mother
Roula Said	...	Shaheera

Storyline

Sabah is 40, single, an immigrant from Syria living in Toronto with her family, responsible for her mother's well-being. Since her father's death, her brother Majid has been the family authority. His niece doesn't want him choosing her husband, his marriage is rocky, but he insists on tradition. Sabah meets Stephen at a city swimming pool; they're attracted to each other. Because he's not a Muslim, Sabah hides their friendship from her family. Where can this relationship go? Can this family sort out its tensions?

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Plot Keywords:

muslim | love | swimming pool | canada | culture clash | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

TL Boulton Productions Ltd

Country:

Canada

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

27 May 2005 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Coldwater

Company Credits

Production Co:

T. L. Boulton

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Selected as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's second annual showcase of Canadian cinema - Canadian Front: New Films 2005.

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Connections

Referenced in Allemaal film: De amerikaanse droom (2007)

User Reviews

both personal film and populist entertainment

There was an excellent audience reaction to the comedic beats in the screening I attended (as well as all-too-audible thoughts from a guy in the row behind me) so the movie pushes buttons in a light-handed way that earns empathy without cheapening the conflicts and customs it represents. For those of us outside of those trappings, they serve as a metaphor. The story is very relatable. Ruba Nadda's early films had glimpses of humor, but this one is so well integrated scene-for-scene that it feels (in a good way) like Hollywood product. In fact, the trailer I saw didn't do it justice, because a lot of the charm comes from story context and the overall groove of the movie in progress. A Jewish friend I saw this movie with remarked on how she strongly identified with characters and situations which happen to be Arab in origin. The other person I saw it with found many of the family and story dynamics familiar, but it will be clear to most people that Ruba Nadda has mined these areas in a way that makes it all ring as fresh. As a screenwriter myself I suggest that the script can be studied for its briskness and conciseness and a certain fairness in the layers of conflict and consequence as each character speaks up and manages to change our own judgment a bit. But I wouldn't call this a message movie. That stuff may be a bonus. The movie is fun. And in a market that can get pretty stuffy, that is a huge accomplishment. One review referred to an "overly earnest" moment, but I way no evidence of that. The performances play as they should. Ruba has quietly made what may be my favorite current Canadian movie. To be more true to genre, I can safely say that if you liked Moonstruck, there is a good chance you will like Sabah (though it contains no disfiguring injuries nor contemplations of death as far as I recall).