Wadjda by Haifaa al-Mansour

By Allal El Alaoui

Rabat - Salé

Wadjda becomes an international film that still is circulating and  watched by millions around the world .Wadjda is a Saudi Arabian–German film, written and directed by Haifaa al-Mansour.I admit that i have not seen the film ;though this movie has come right next door in my home town called Salé in Morocco. I was busy then shooting my shortfilm called Pants of Blood .

Yet, as i said before i admit the script has grabbed my attention while i was reading it . I found great pleasure to follow events through the will of a little girl who defies everthing to have a bicycle . i immediately fell in love with the script and its writer, Haifaa .

 I also admit that this is  the first script written in English that i have read , though i am myself a screenwriter and i am still reading scripts written in Arabic because it is my native language . Wajda is full of visuals and has good structure . I like its description and careful dialogue. 

Wajda is a girl who dreams to pedal a bicycle knowing that in Saudia – Arabia women can not pedal  bicycles nor driving cars . I also like its reference to the relatioship between female and male and the fact that male is totally absent because he is busy to watch television or else .

Yes ,it is true that the film is written by a female and some critics would  conclude that females make men funny and drole ‘ French word ‘ . in Haifaa movie,the woman is omnipresent and she is the one who takes decisions ; alhtough saudia is prevailed by men. I also like references of taboos and its relatiohsip with the sacred  and profane .

  Wadjda Screenplay by allal