Haifaa Al Mansour’s directorial venture “Wadjda”, which was first released at the Venice Film Festival last year, it has been a rage in the international festival circuits since. With Sony Pictures being its stateside distributor – the movie hits theaters stateside 13^th September.

It has also been declared as the officical Oscar entry from Saudi Arabia for the Foreign Language Oscar.

The film centers on a young girl, Wadjda, who dreams of owning a bicycle. The riding of bicycle by women in frowned upon in their culture. The girl rested upon several schemes to accumulate money to own it while her mother deals with her husband who was considering his second wife.

This is the first film to be shot inside Saudi Arabia completely and also being directed by and first to be made by a woman filmmaker of the country. A hit in the festival circuit – the film is a sure eye-catcher for the Academy Awards.

The five nominations will be announced on January 16^th. And, the Oscars is going to held on 2^nd March.

• About the Author

About Sankha Ghosh

Sankha Ghosh was never born in that 'City of Joy', never was a banker, never watched a Godard, never loved Kafka, never fell for that Solitary Reaper, never danced on a friend’s wedding, never fought for human rights, never had a crush at college and never ever aspired to work on a novel! Never was he as simple as this! #He wishes