TFL Films & Series

Wadjda

A Saudi girl signs on for her school's Koran recitation competition as a way to earn money to buy the green bicycle that has captured her interest.

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Main info

Title: Wadjda
Year: 2012
Directed by: Haifaa Al Mansour
Premiere & awards: Venice International Film Festival 2012, Orizzonti , Cinema Avenire Award - Best Film, Interfilm Award, CICAE Award
Produced by: Razor Film Produktion - Germany
In co-production with: High Look Group - USA, Rotana Studios - Egypt
Countries: Saudi Arabia, Germany, United States, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Netherlands

Team
synopsis

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 always pushing the boundaries of what she can get away with. After a fight with her friend Abdullah, Wadjda sees a beautiful green bicycle for sale. She wants the bicycle desperately so that she can beat Abdullah in a race. 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. 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 Koran recitation competition at her school. She devotes herself to the memorization and recitation of Koranic verses, determined to continue fighting for her dreams.

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