The position of Saudi women as second-class citizens receives a potent metaphoric visualization in Saudi helmer-writer Shahad Ameen’s parable-like debut drama, “Scales.” Revealing more through imagery than dialogue, the tale unfolds on a barren island where tradition dictates that each family sacrifice a daughter to the sea maidens to ensure the local fishermen a good catch. , with the taut first third particularly strong. But the narrative’s momentum and clarity dissipate in the middle and final sections even as the visuals continue to impress. Still, the boldly inventive “Scales” marks Ameen as a talent to watch.
Variance Films is releasing “Scales” in New York and Los Angeles on July 9. A wider rollout will follow. The 2019 production had a prize-winning festival run and was chosen as the Saudi entry for the best international feature Oscar.
In the harsh, dystopian world that Ameen creates, femininity is repressed and masculinity is all powerful.
Variance Films is releasing “Scales” in New York and Los Angeles on July 9. A wider rollout will follow. The 2019 production had a prize-winning festival run and was chosen as the Saudi entry for the best international feature Oscar.
In the harsh, dystopian world that Ameen creates, femininity is repressed and masculinity is all powerful.
- 7/8/2021
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Just like her heroine, writer / director Shahad Ameen breaks out of the male-dominated Saudi film industry and shapes her own path and she certainly does it in style. Her debut feature “Scales” (Sayidat Al-Bahr) follows the 2013 short movie “Eye & Mermaid” that was presented at the film festivals in Dubai, Toronto, and Stockholm and it’s the base concept that has been expanded in “Scales”. The film had its World premiere in Critics’ Week at the Venice International Film Festival.
“Scales” is screening at the BFI London Film Festival 2019
Once upon a time … in a fictional island, in a fictional era, a small fishing village believes that giving the first-born daughters to the sea to feed some monstrous mermaid-like creatures that inhabit the ocean, will keep the beasts quiet and away from threatening the village.
The film opens at night with this cruel ritual; men on a torchlit beach walk in...
“Scales” is screening at the BFI London Film Festival 2019
Once upon a time … in a fictional island, in a fictional era, a small fishing village believes that giving the first-born daughters to the sea to feed some monstrous mermaid-like creatures that inhabit the ocean, will keep the beasts quiet and away from threatening the village.
The film opens at night with this cruel ritual; men on a torchlit beach walk in...
- 10/10/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Netflix has picked up its first show from the UAE: La Law-style legal drama Justice.
The Svod service has acquired the worldwide rights to the series, which was produced by Image Nation and Beelink Productions for pay-tv platform Osn, from Im Global Television.
This comes after Deadline named the show, known locally as Qalb Al Adala, as one of its shows to watch out for in 2018.
The legal drama was created by La Law and NYPD Blue’s William Finkelstein and He Named Me Malala producer Walter Parkes. It follows real cases from the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department and follows Farah, an ambitious and passionate young lawyer who has just returned from the U.S. after having attained a law degree but is determined to succeed on her own despite her father being one of the UAE’s top lawyers.
The series stars Fatima Al Taei, Mansoor Al Feeli,...
The Svod service has acquired the worldwide rights to the series, which was produced by Image Nation and Beelink Productions for pay-tv platform Osn, from Im Global Television.
This comes after Deadline named the show, known locally as Qalb Al Adala, as one of its shows to watch out for in 2018.
The legal drama was created by La Law and NYPD Blue’s William Finkelstein and He Named Me Malala producer Walter Parkes. It follows real cases from the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department and follows Farah, an ambitious and passionate young lawyer who has just returned from the U.S. after having attained a law degree but is determined to succeed on her own despite her father being one of the UAE’s top lawyers.
The series stars Fatima Al Taei, Mansoor Al Feeli,...
- 1/23/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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