The pop-up initiative showcases independent cinema within the framework of the Diriyah Biennale.
Burgeoning Saudi exhibitor Muvi Cinemas and content production and distribution company Telfaz11 have launched joint pop-up venture Wadi Cinema aimed at fostering arthouse cinema-going in the country.
Unfolding within Saudi Arabia’s first-ever art biennale, running in the historic city of Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh from December 16 to March 11, the initiative consists of a temporary cinema and a programme of recent arthouse titles.
It opens on Thursday (December 23) with a screening of Oscar-nominated The Man Who Sold His Skin by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania,...
Burgeoning Saudi exhibitor Muvi Cinemas and content production and distribution company Telfaz11 have launched joint pop-up venture Wadi Cinema aimed at fostering arthouse cinema-going in the country.
Unfolding within Saudi Arabia’s first-ever art biennale, running in the historic city of Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh from December 16 to March 11, the initiative consists of a temporary cinema and a programme of recent arthouse titles.
It opens on Thursday (December 23) with a screening of Oscar-nominated The Man Who Sold His Skin by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania,...
- 12/23/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Scales is the latest in a movement of feminist cinema coming from Saudi Arabia, in the wake of great work done by Haifaa Al-Mansour (whose excellent The Perfect Candidate was released earlier this year). In her first feature, writer-director Shahad Ameen proves herself a force behind the camera with stunning black-and-white photography and poetic imagery guiding us through the tale of a young girl’s struggle for liberation—yet at a lean 75 minutes, there’s not quite enough meat on the bones to leave a lasting impression.
Basima Hajjar plays the strong and silent heroine, Hayat, a young girl who, at least to begin with, passively accepts the patriarchal society in which she’s grown up. In the alternate reality Ameen has created, the waters around the small fishing village Hayat lives in are filled with sea maidens. Every family must sacrifice one of their daughters to placate them, ensuring...
Basima Hajjar plays the strong and silent heroine, Hayat, a young girl who, at least to begin with, passively accepts the patriarchal society in which she’s grown up. In the alternate reality Ameen has created, the waters around the small fishing village Hayat lives in are filled with sea maidens. Every family must sacrifice one of their daughters to placate them, ensuring...
- 7/8/2021
- by Orla Smith
- The Film Stage
The position of Saudi women as second-class citizens receives a potent metaphoric visualization in Saudi helmer-writer Shahad Ameen’s parable-like debut drama, “Scales.” Revealing more through imagery than dialogue, the tale unfolds on a barren island where tradition dictates that each family sacrifice a daughter to the sea maidens to ensure the local fishermen a good catch. , with the taut first third particularly strong. But the narrative’s momentum and clarity dissipate in the middle and final sections even as the visuals continue to impress. Still, the boldly inventive “Scales” marks Ameen as a talent to watch.
Variance Films is releasing “Scales” in New York and Los Angeles on July 9. A wider rollout will follow. The 2019 production had a prize-winning festival run and was chosen as the Saudi entry for the best international feature Oscar.
In the harsh, dystopian world that Ameen creates, femininity is repressed and masculinity is all powerful.
Variance Films is releasing “Scales” in New York and Los Angeles on July 9. A wider rollout will follow. The 2019 production had a prize-winning festival run and was chosen as the Saudi entry for the best international feature Oscar.
In the harsh, dystopian world that Ameen creates, femininity is repressed and masculinity is all powerful.
- 7/8/2021
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
"Girls like you belong to the Sea Maiden." Variance Films has released a new official US trailer for a Saudi Arabian film titled Scales, which originally premiered back at the 2019 Venice Film Festival in the Critics' Week sidebar section. It picked up a few awards and also toured around through other festivals all over the world. Written & directed by Shahad Ameen, Scales was also Saudi Arabia's official submission to the 93rd Oscars earlier this year. Set in a dystopian landscape, Scales is the story of a young strong-willed girl, Hayat, who lives in a poor fishing village governed by a dark tradition in which every family must give one daughter to the sea creatures who inhabit the waters nearby. Saved from this fate by her father, Hayat is considered a curse on the village and grows up an outcast. Nevertheless, she does not surrender to this fate and fights for a place within her village.
- 6/24/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.