In 2013, Saudi Arabian filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour burst on the scene with “Wadjda,” a female coming-of-age story set in a country where women’s rights still lag behind international standards. “Wadjda” was an instant success, launching al-Mansour’s career as a Hollywood filmmaker and landing her projects such as the Elle Fanning vehicle “Mary Shelley“ and the Netflix original “Nappily Ever After.” Her latest film, “The Perfect Candidate,” sees al-Mansour returning to her native country for another story of female empowerment, this time exploring the evolving political opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia.
READ MORE: Haifaa al-Mansour gently marries family tradition and equality in ‘The Perfect Candidate’
In the film, Mila Al Zahrani plays a young Saudi Arabian doctor who impulsively decides to run for the local municipal council. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this past weekend, may offer some conventional story beats around empowerment and equality, but that does not make “The Perfect Candidate” any less enjoyable—or important—for its familiarity.
In our review of the film, we praised the movie for its approach to melding family traditions and progressive politics, while noting that there were times when it felt as if “al-Mansour is working too hard to gain approval for her character’s strident feminism.” Still, we often over-index on Western responses to films, especially when it comes to international cinema; what may seem familiar to American audiences may take on added importance in other countries.
READ MORE: 15 must-see movies at the 2019 Venice Film Festival
In addition to the full trailer, the filmmakers also released two extended clips from the film. In the first clip, Mila Al Zahrani’s character deals with the generational sexism of an elderly patient who refuses medical service from her (on the grounds that she is not a man). In the second clip, we watch as she records her campaign announcement with her sisters. This address highlights her dream project: she wants to pave the road in front of her local clinic, making it safer for injured patients to gain access to the medical services she and her team have to offer.
Click here to read more of our coverage from the 2019 edition of the Venice Film Festival.
The Perfect Candidate Venice Clip #1
Here's a new clip from Haifaa al-Mansour's Venice competition film, "The Perfect Candidate."
Posted by The Playlist on Monday, September 2, 2019
The Perfect Candidate Venice Clip #2
Here's another clip from Haifaa al-Mansour's latest film, "The Perfect Candidate," which premiered as part of this year's Venice Film Festival.
Posted by The Playlist on Monday, September 2, 2019