Cast: Adwa Fahad, Darin AlBayed, Khairia Abu Laban
Duration: 92 min
Year: 2024
Platform: Netflix
In Saudi Arabia, inside a strictly ruled girls' school, a fire breaks out and several girls become victims, including a model student named Amira. Students and teachers begin to wonder if it's arson or a tragic accident.
From the start, the film centers on the importance of religion in Saudi Arabia, where all characters ostentatiously display their devotion to Allah in every circumstance. Initially, a background speech highlights the current situation regarding the hijab—the Muslim woman's veil—and the differing views expressed by the country's representatives. Right away, you notice how religion is extremized in the first minutes: the girls are locked inside the school with a padlock, a symbol of isolation and female segregation. Later, during the tragedy, as the fire rages and everyone—students and teachers from the all-female facility—rushes to the exit, the school custodian (a man) outside the main gate denies them escape, keeping the gate locked while awaiting an external order allowing the women to flee and save themselves. Because of this, many are injured, others suffocated, and some die. Yet this is the law, and no one can challenge it. A law that violates human rights, forcing women into an extremely harsh and sometimes dangerous lifestyle. And it doesn't end there: in a truly chilling scene, the girls—near death and injured—finally escape the school, and their fathers rush to "save" them. Instead of tending to their health, they suggest they put on their veils. The direction is simple, without bold authorial or particularly significant shots, but it effectively conveys the full situation. Close-ups are well-used for the story's most emotional moments. The dialogue is simple and concise, though sometimes underdeveloped: a bit more depth on certain themes would have been welcome, but it remains linear and functional. The cast's performances are good, despite occasional excessive gestures. Returning to the themes, beyond raising awareness about women's rights and the challenges of their lifestyle, the story focuses heavily on bullying, embodied by young Amira, a model student targeted by three peers. Her only support is books and her best friend, the principal's daughter. Even she is a rigid, insensitive woman toward the daily humiliations Amira endures. This is a crucial issue beyond religion. Amira is constantly mocked, verbally and sometimes physically attacked, locked up, or exploited for her academic skills. The three girls bullying her are marked by deep insecurities: one is the school cleaner's daughter, another has evident masculine traits making her aesthetically different, and the third has a clear weight issue. Perhaps these stereotypes highlight that "bullies" are often victims first—victims of a system that judges them relentlessly, of the weight of difference and failed social integration. Their only escape is shifting focus onto someone else, even at the cost of common sense and love for others. While religion and bullying are main themes, another key issue emerges at the end: academic pressure that many students endure from their own families. The principal is overly strict with her daughter. Despite excellent grades, the mother demands perfection, sidelining her child's desires and emotions—she's visibly unhappy but obedient and submissive. This recurring 21st-century perfectionism is common, and its impact on young minds must be taken seriously. Sensitizing families about chasing perfection leads youth to perpetual anxiety, dissatisfaction, even depression. In extreme cases, it pushes them to uncontrollable acts, as in this story, ruining their lives completely. Based on a true story, this film tackles current issues with clarity and completeness, offering a true example of responsibility and self-awareness. Though not a "masterpiece," in this small, enclosed world of women, it exemplifies everyday important themes.
