THE PERFECT CANDIDATE

Saudi Arabia/Germany, 2019, 104 minutes, Colour.

Mila Al Zahrani,. Khalid Abdulraheem, Tareq Al Khaldi.

Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour.

Nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Language film by Saudi Arabia.

The director is the first woman director from Saudi Arabia, educated at the American School in Cairo and then at the University of Sydney, making an impact with short films and than a documentary, Women without Shadows. She made the significant feature film in Saudi Arabia, Wadjda, 2012. She has also worked in the United States on television series and the film, Mary Shelley, with Elle Fanning.

This film was produced with German finance. In its story of a woman doctor who decides to stand for the local Council, a woman breaking ground in terms of politics and campaigning, it reflects something of the career of the director, and her breakthrough film career for Saudi Arabian women. (And, a reminder of changes in legislation in the Kingdom, she is seen driving her car.)

The film was written by the director and her husband, Brad Niemann. Set on the outskirts of Riyadh where it was filmed, the setting is a local hospital where the central character has a reputation as doctor and surgeon. A key scene involves an old man refusing to let her touch him or examine him, illustrating the innate prejudice about a woman’s place (echoes of other sequences, especially when the doctor goes campaigning for the election).

The film shows the family life, the father an eminent member of a band, touring with his band, performing at weddings, winning a national competition and government grant. While the doctor has ambitions for further work and tries to travel to Dubai, she falls foul of regulations. In the meantime, the road to the hospital needs work and so she decides to stand for election, the repair of the road being her platform. She follows techniques for campaigning, makes a video, wants to address a group of men but has to do it by video, angry with them and then appearing in public. She wants her father support but he is on tour.

She is also helped by the grandson of the angry old man who was persuaded his grandfather to let the doctor perform surgery which is successful. At the end of the film, after she has lost the election, he pays tribute to her.

To that extent, the film ends hopefully even if success takes a long time.

1. The title, a female candidate for elections for local councils in the Kingdom?
2. German and Saudi production? Local locations, Riyadh, the outskirts, the local hospital, roads, homes, tense for campaigning, wedding celebrations? The musical score, songs?
3. The work of the director, her career as a female director in Saudi Arabia? Some of the plot lines resembling her struggle for recognition?
4. The situation, Maryam, the status of women in the Kingdom, her dress, veiled, at the hospital? Reputation? Fellow workers and doctors? The interview with Omar and his grandfather, the grandfather’s hostility towards her, towards women? Omar persuading him to have the surgery? Her ambitions, wanting to travel to the International conference, bureaucracy difficulties, the office for applications for standing for office? Her decision?
5. At home, memories of her mother, her father and his music, his band, on tour, wedding singers? Her sisters? Her decision, their support, difficulties? The response to Omar helping her? Her wanting her father to help with the campaign?
6. The campaign, getting hints from the Internet for campaigns, making the video, speeches, Omar arranging the tent, the men coming to listen, not able to address them directly, by video, the reaction and questions, her coming out and addressing them directly, forcefully? This being filmed, people watching it online?
7. Strong convictions, the election day, the results, the men and their comments?
8. Her father, the performance, winning the government grant, the return, supporting his daughter?
9. Maryam, the visit from the old man and his thanks? A further step towards women and their place in government?