I just left the cinema with a big smile on my face. By reading the synopsis i thought would be a heavy, dense movie about the modern Saudi Arabia and the struggles of being a woman there.But not, the rebel Wadjda will give us that, but with lots of charisma and positiveness. She will fight that society and the rules, as an empowering call for adults woman to do so and take back their space in that male society.

This was a beautiful little movie. While I don't know much about the religion the movie was simple enough that it filled in any gaps that I had to understand what was going on. The story was simple which allowed for more exploration of the characters, thus making you care more. All round this was a good movie that I recommend for anyone to watch if you get a chance.

Very little can be said without controversy about a movie made on a culture that typically rejects outsider's views. Frankly, I fail to see the point of the whole effort and the risks taken by passionate women filmmakers who make films like Wadjda. Maybe it is to keep the hope for change alive or to express dissent against social oppression. In either case, outsiders can only sympathize and then move on with their lives. Truth is, I'll never fully comprehend the state of women in the Saudi patriarchy. As a reviewer of this film, I choose not to comment on that part. I'd only say one thing. A lot of circumstances are comparable to the odds faced by women even the most progressive societies. If you are watching this movie with a sociological perspective then you're probably going to miss the fun. So, for the sake of the story, leave your judgement outside the door. What strikes me in this film is a child's will to overcome obstacles. It's not because Wadjda is a girl child that her story is more interesting. Although, that might be core to the plot. I can attest that all children at one point or another feel left out, isolated, unloved even. Wadjda's mother loves her but she has a lot of things to deal with. The inspiring part is that she understands this and is willing to work with whatever she has got. Her family is undergoing some stressful times that are usually hard to cope for a child of her age. Instead of acting out like an entitled kid, she hacks her way through troubles. She's a natural entrepreneur who would not back down. Its uplifting to watch Wadjda because of her ingenuity to invent her surroundings. She displays leadership as well. The film deals with hypocrisy nicely. Just compare the characters of Wadjda's teacher with the shopkeeper who holds out on the bicycle for her.Wadjda is a unique story. It is somewhat reminiscent of 'Children of Heaven'. There is a competition and prize money involved and the outcome is again wholly different and not at all what you'd expect. It is a heartfelt story about a child coping with abandonment issues through a cause. Her aim is to get a bicycle for herself and win a race with Abdullah (a cheeky little boy who's also her best friend and bears a lot of her brunt too). The goal she has set for herself, probably signifies one phase of hardships. Wadjda may have achieved this one with her single minded determination but where she goes from there is left to the audience's speculation. There is a lot of optimism there. Although, her adorable mission is enough to melt away the hearts of skeptics, you'll find her persistence quite infectious.

i am a Saudi filmmaker and i saw the film was fairly produced and proud of the saudi cast and there performing , i hoped we had more Saudis in the production process but its fine with me , \my note is i guess haifaa al-mansoor has exaggerated somehow to create a dramatic issues , and with this i mean the ending you will never ever find any school that will donate a student prize to whomever its totally not connected to Saudi reality , i do agree with some of the problems that Haifa put through the scenes but i totally disagree with some also overall , thanks guys its kinda good start ..