Wadjda (2012)

An enterprising Saudi girl signs on for her school's Koran recitation competition as a way to raise the remaining funds she needs in order to buy the green bicycle that has captured her interest.

Director:

Haifaa Al-Mansour (as Haifaa Al Mansour)

Writer:

Haifaa Al-Mansour (as Haifaa Al Mansour)

Stars:

Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah, Abdullrahman Al Gohani

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 22 wins & 33 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Reem Abdullah	...	Mother
Waad Mohammed	...	Wadjda
Abdullrahman Al Gohani	...	Abdullah (as Abdullrahman Algohani)
Ahd	...	Ms. Hussa
Sultan Al Assaf	...	Father
Alanoud Sajini	...	Fatin
Rafa Al Sanea	...	Fatima
Dana Abdullilah	...	Salma
Rehab Ahmed	...	Noura
Nouf Saad	...	Koran Teacher
Ibrahim Almozael	...	Toy Shop Owner
Mohammed Zahir	...	Iqbal - the Driver
Sara Aljaber	...	Leila
Noura Faisal	...	Abeer
Talal Loay	...	Abeer's Young Man

Storyline

WADJDA is a 10-year-old girl living in a suburb of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Although she lives in a conservative world, Wadjda is fun loving, entrepreneurial and always pushing the boundaries of what she can get away with. After a fight with her friend Abdullah, a neighborhood boy she shouldn't be playing with, Wadjda sees a beautiful green bicycle for sale. She wants the bicycle desperately so that she can beat Abdullah in a race. But Wadjda's mother won't allow it, fearing repercussions from a society that sees bicycles as dangerous to a girl's virtue. So Wadjda decides to try and raise the money herself. At first, Wadjda's mother is too preoccupied with convincing her husband not to take a second wife to realize what's going on. And soon enough Wadjda's plans are thwarted when she is caught running various schemes at school. Just as she is losing hope of raising enough money, she hears of a cash prize for a Quran recitation competition at her school. She devotes herself...

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Plot Keywords:

feminist film | title directed by female | character name as title | bicycle | recitation | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, brief mild language and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

Saudi Arabia Netherlands Germany Jordan United Arab Emirates USA

Language:

Arabic

Release Date:

16 May 2013 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

La bicicleta verde

Filming Locations:

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$41,253, 15 September 2013, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,347,578, 26 January 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

Razor Film Produktion GmbH, Highlook Communications Group, Rotana Film Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first feature length film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia.

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Goofs

When Wadjda takes the bread out of the oven, mic equipment is visible on her waist, under her T-shirt.

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Connections

References Bicycle Thieves (1948)

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Soundtracks

Tongue Tied
Performed by Grouplove
(P) 2011 Atlantic Recording Corp.
Courtesy of WARNER MUSIC Group Germany Holding GmbH, A Warner Music Group Company

User Reviews

My hero

One thing that makes this movie stands out is the fact that it is entirely based in Saudi Arabia.

Regardless what one thinks of that country, be that knowledge or just stereotyping, it has a culture that is very different than that of what the western audience is accustomed to.

So he have a heroine who is your typical rebel teenage girl, who has realised that being a woman can be challenging and she therefore must give her fight to survive. The story revolves around an utterly sinful desire this young revolver has: to buy and ride a bicycle. To go about that, she must overcome her mum's objections, the shopkeeper's and pretty much everyone she is acquainted with.

Unprepared to simply accept fate, she is prepared to do whatever it takes to ride that bicycle. Quirky and witty, this is a delight and one should not allow any preconceived notions of Arabic culture to stand in the way of enjoying this pleasurable debut.

Wadjda is a hero in any culture.