IMDb RATING
6.7/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
A determined young Saudi doctor's surprise run for office in the local city elections sweeps up her family and community as they struggle to accept their town's first female candidate.A determined young Saudi doctor's surprise run for office in the local city elections sweeps up her family and community as they struggle to accept their town's first female candidate.A determined young Saudi doctor's surprise run for office in the local city elections sweeps up her family and community as they struggle to accept their town's first female candidate.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total
Dae Al Hilali
- Selma
- (as Dhay)
Nora Al Awad
- Sara
- (as Noura Al Awad)
Tareq Al Khaldi
- Omar
- (as 6 Tarek Ahmed Al Khaldi)
Reema Mohammed
- Badria
- (voice)
Hamad Al Mazaini
- Abu Musa
- (as Hamad Almuzainy)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
I watched The Perfect Candidate because I had previously enjoyed very much Wadja and I was not disappointed. The story is simple and touching, inviting the spectator to understand how gender dynamics work in Saudi Arabia. It is also a call for a more open society, embracing women's contribution to medicine, politics and music.
This is another impressive film by the Director of 'wadja' again focusing on the female experience in modern Saudi Arabia, specifically, a doctor who decides to run for political office in her local town. It's really absorbing and interesting, and beautifully done all round with super performances. Cultural insights abound here, as well as understated criticisms of what's portrayed as a highly misogynistic society, but the film also features some great music. Ignore the negative reviews, Saudi's shouldn't flinch.....this deserves a wide audience.
This film is not brilliant, but its worth checking out.
Its also worth checking out all the other reviews for this movie here on IMDB... clearly, a few are very threatened of change that a movie like this can help to create. Some of the reviewers say that the film has no accuracy to reality, but anyone who knows a thing or two sees the news such as 'Saudi women now allowed to drive" or the joke photo of the women's rights conference in SA attended by only men!
This film is a gentle examination of an educated women who wishes to improve things for all. What would make it better, is if it were true & if she had won. A Saudi female President or Prime Minister, that would be a great theme for a movie too. Or all those Saudi male leaders in therapy, while their wives run things for a while!
Its also worth checking out all the other reviews for this movie here on IMDB... clearly, a few are very threatened of change that a movie like this can help to create. Some of the reviewers say that the film has no accuracy to reality, but anyone who knows a thing or two sees the news such as 'Saudi women now allowed to drive" or the joke photo of the women's rights conference in SA attended by only men!
This film is a gentle examination of an educated women who wishes to improve things for all. What would make it better, is if it were true & if she had won. A Saudi female President or Prime Minister, that would be a great theme for a movie too. Or all those Saudi male leaders in therapy, while their wives run things for a while!
The film full of gentleness, support, beautiful women outside and inside and good music.
We may have rare oportunity to see on screen how people in Saudi Arabia live and how women fight to be recognized just as always in this world. The audience at the film festival in Belgrade applauded after the film ended. Definitely worth seeing.
I found this film via the Florida Film Festival in 2020 as a feature film listing. I found the film to be both an entertaining film as well from the perspective of today's Saudi Arabian culture in general and issues for Saudi women in particular quite educational. A plus in the movie was the focus on the Saudi musicians and singers who were playing live gigs that have recently been allowed by the government in Saudi Arabia. I found the film well worth my time.
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie was selected as the Saudi Arabian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards
- How long is The Perfect Candidate?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Ідеальна кандидатка
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $30,134
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,795
- May 16, 2021
- Gross worldwide
- $1,337,187
- Runtime
- 1h 44m(104 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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