The Middle East
countries – most, not all of them - show high national income, but are not
acknowledged as advanced countries because of their lack of sensibility on
human right. Especially women's rights are being deprived, being controlled and
repressed by men. That is why the documentary films or movies made by the women
producers in a country like Iran have strong messages of the resistance against
men. But it is forbidden for women to produce films in the neighbor country,
Saudi Arabia. So, the Saudi Arabian films were never talked about in the world
movie industry. This film, 'Wadjda' has a special meaning for being produced in
Saudi Arabia, a country of the strict regulations for the first time,
The leading
character in the movie is an elementary school girl named Wadjda. She suffers from
hardships to be able to ride a bike. The Middle East is ruled by each country's
royal authorities, and most of their politics and religions have unity so that
religion supports the royal authorities. In this society, the women in the
Middle East are controlled and repressed by men who have the dominant positions
in politics and religions. So, women are trained and educated to obey men so
they submit to men in Saudi Arabia. It was forbidden for the women to ride a
bike so Wadjda struggled to collect money to buy a bike. She was a little girl,
but her growling to her parents for a bike was not accepted because of these
reasons. She collects money with a clever scheme like selling her things.
Her mother Reem
Abdullah and the president of her school Ahd, as adults who were trained to
obey regulations were worried for Wadjda who shows a strong will to ride a
bike. They desperately tried to stop the Wadjda and teach her what the society
requires from women. In this film, the uniformed buildings and scenery shows us
their strict regulations of religion and society. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country.
Most of them are Shia so they do not tolerate other religions and freedom. They
adhere to old customs and Islam Fundamentalism that descended from the
ancestors of Saudi Arabian royal family and they regard all their religious
acts and regulations as being sacred. The Koran is treated as their absolute
standard. Because of this standard, Wadjda joined in the religion class even
though she didn't want to. And she struggled to recite the Koran to get the
prize money for the bike. When she got the 1st prize, the school president
asked her where she was going to use the money and she naively answered that
she would buy a bike. Her prize money was taken away from her and was donated
to the Palestine youth group regardless of her will. I felt that it was a shame
that happened, and it led me to have some deep thoughts about the negative
influence of religion.
Just
like in the movie, oppressed women are everywhere around Saudi Arabia. Son preference
is prevalent in the country. Wadjda's father brought in a new wife because
Wadjda's mother was unable to give him a son. Polygamy is an evil custom that
resulted from the son preference. In the end, Wadjda finally rode a bike with
big smile with her mother's support. This leaded to break down the regulation
that women cannot ride a bike in Saudi Arabia and now they can ride freely in
the country. It was explained in caption. I felt that the power of culture is so
strong from the movie. If these small movements can turn the impossible things
to be possible, this world would be getting bright and new.
