Wadjda tells the story of a young girl living in a suburb of Riyadh determined to raise enough money to buy a bike in a society that sees bicycles as dangerous to a girl's virtue. She decides to enter the school’s Quran contest just to buy it with the prize money.
A cinematic gem, Wadjda is a movie that combines pointed political and social commentary, wonderful performances and an extraordinarily charming young heroine you can root for.
"Wadjda" earns extra points just for being what it is. Who knew that, in a country that famously frowns on women driving cars, some are even allowed to make movies?
Turner Classic Movies Online
April 03, 2014
Filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour uses the simple story as our entry into a complex culture and a pointed perspective on how women are treated in Saudi society ...
In Saudi filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour's winsome wonder Wadjda, a young girl's aspirations provide an intimate glimpse into the possibilities and limitations of a cloaked culture.
3AW
March 21, 2014
A warm, winning, restless film...Beautiful, modestly progressive and heartfelt, with a wonderful, brash central performance from first-timer Waad Mohammed.
