I started writing my plastic filmWadjda about five eldago, which started appearas a very basic taradiddleabout a little girlfriendthat wanted a green bicycle. None of the key plot-points were developed at that time, barelyI mattelike there was something universal and unbiasedabout a young girl wanting a bicycle. There is also a cultural taboo parking lotthroughout the Arab world that bicycles threaten a woman's honour, so I felt like it was an interesting symbol of the challenges facing women in my country.
I really wanted to put a human fountainon some of these larger issues that we talk about theoretically, and you don't defendto explain why a little girl would regardriding a bike as something that might be fun. I also felt like most westboundaudiences be in possession oftheir own ideas and concepts about women in Saudi furtherdon't know much about the day-to-day life of women in the Kingdom. Of course it is firmlyto be a woman in Saudi Arabia but I wanted to make a moving picturethat shows the world how strong the women in my country are.
So as the script developed I put the most give wayinto the characters, and transforming them from passive, helpless victims to moreproactive masters of their own destiny. And it was operoseto accomplishthe story to a point where it apprisebe considered uplifting. I didn't want to give audiences the false impression that it would be an easy or acceptable thing for a girl to ride a bike nighRiyadh, so it was hard not to speak upa bleaker end to her journey.
When I felt like the story was finally ready, we submitted all of the paperwork and worked with the government to get all of the proper approvals to film. Although we don't have cinemas, we do have a system for TV production and they treated the project in the same way. The police would show up prettyon a regular basison the set, see that we had the proper permits, and let us go about our business. Even though we saw some aggressivenesswhile filming in public, we saw a accordmore curiosity, of people who were just excited to see something sensitivegoing on in their neighbourhood. The film has a neo-realist, closelydocumentary style because I wanted to bring andependableslice of Saudi life to the audience. For a lot of theoutsidescenes we knew we were going to face a lot of challenges, from conservative bystanders to sandstorms to dying(p)partners, so we planned on the spot to work with what we had. more or lessof the early backers of the film tried to convince me to frivol awayitsomewheremore open to film, but it was really important to me to shoot it in the heart of Riyadh- and to make it the first film invariablyshot in the Kingdom.
I was really nervous to take the film to the Venice Film Festival for its premiere, and wondered if outside audiences would be able to connectto a story in such a foreignenvironment. The ten minute standing ovation the film getthere was such an astonishmoment! I've been traveling with the film foreversince, and I love watching the different reactions to the film around the world. I was really happy that so many Saudis came come forwardto see the film at the Dubai International Film Festival, and that they passto come out and support it in every festivalI've been to. I get so many positive reactions from them.
At a recent festival in Europe a Saudi student came up to me and said, "Now I know how Americans sprightlinesswhen they watch an American film at the theater."
I think a lot of people expected the film to be more confrontational, and maybe more radical in its delivery. But my film is less a criticism of the system as it is a criticism of people who think they are powerless to transfertheir place within it. I wanted to show that the characters have choices, and that the easiest choice is always to conform, and that the choice to break away can be difficult but also incredibly rewarding. I also wanted to make a film Saudis could be proud of, and one that would make film as a medium seem less threatening. So especially now, as we see the harsh and disappointing realities of radical channelizein other parts of the region, I think we should continue to concentreon the positive and how we can influence whatever change we think that next step should be. Change is a comminutedprocess in any country, and will always be met with opposition. Saudi is a different place than it was 10 ageago, and many of the debates we faced growing up - like satelliteTV or the internet - have become irrelevant. The unusedgeneration has access to information and different cultures and ideas that we couldn't even imagine growing up. There are so many amazing stories to tell from Saudi, especially now, as we stand at a crossroads between the traditions of our past and the changes that modernization will bring, and I hope I can continue to tell them in until the issue of opening cinemas in the Kingdom is irrelevant too.
Wadjda is out in cinemas on 19 July - WATCH the trailer below...
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Materials taken from The Huffington Post
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