The Perfect Candidate

This is a good film. The people in it are likeable, the story is good. It made me feel good watching it.

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.

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!

Haifaa al-Mansour is the greatest director of our generation. this is the second film of Haifaa al-Mansour that I've seen after her first debut film Wadjda which I've watched it back at Istanbul Film Festival. It's also the second Saudi Arabian Film that I've seen so far. Haifaa is one of the emerging director came out from Saudi Arabia. She has the distinctive authenticated voice to express herself and society in Saudi in her films.

The Perfect Candidate is another compelling and moving film about Woman Empowerment in the conservative society. It is well produced film. like how the main protagonist is portrayed as the strong optimistic woman who is resistance, stubborn, won't give up easily regardless of her prejudice patriarchic community in Saudi Arabia. I like the climax of the film. It is not a cliche happy ending but rather a subtle hopeful ending which opens up the discussion about feminism in our society.

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.