Inshallah a Boy (Unclassified 18+)
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Jordan | Arabic with English subtitles | Drama
Classification: *Unclassified 18+ Audience discretion is advised: some scenes of violence.
Director: Amjad Al Rasheed
Cast: Mouna Hawa, Haitham Omari, Yumna Marwan, Salwa Nakkara, Mohammad Al Jizawi, Eslam Al-Awadi, Celina Rabab’a
*Festival Classification Exemptions
Due to the time taken to process a classification, the Classification Board recognises that it is not possible for a film festival to only screen films that have been officially classified. Therefore, special exemptions apply to festivals.
Unclassified 18+
This is not the same as an R18+ rating, but it acts in a similar way: nobody under 18 (including infants) can legally view a film with this exemption, even with a parent or adult guardian. One of the key differences between R and Unclassified 18+ is that the content will not be as per an R movie – rather, the film has not yet been classified as suitable for anyone other than an adult audience.
INSHALLA A BOY (Unclassified 18+)
A gripping debut feature follows a determined young woman who must contend with both patriarchal laws and familial tensions in a desperate fight for her own independence. The first Jordanian film to screen at Cannes takes ferocious aim at the country’s ingrained misogyny.
After the death of her husband, Jordanian woman Nawal faces an even more wrenching loss. Her brother-in-law Rifqi argues he now owns the modest Amman apartment where she and her young daughter Nora live – and which Nawal’s own money helped buy – because traditionally, only a son can inherit property.
If Nawal loses her home, she’ll also lose custody of Nora to Rifqi. As the dismayed widow learns the extent of her spouse’s debts and infidelities, she decides to stall Rifqi’s legal proceedings by faking a pregnancy with the help of her wealthy boss’s granddaughter. God willing, she’ll birth the courage to determine her own fate.
Inspired by the real-life experience of first-time feature director Amjad Al Rasheed’s own female relative, this social-realist drama sharply critiques Jordan’s oppressive patriarchal structures. Premiering to acclaim at Cannes Critics’ Week this year, and evoking the incisive films of Iranian auteur Asghar Farhadi, the intimate, gripping and beautifully observed INSHALLAH A BOY blazes a trail for new stories from this dynamic part of the Arab world.
“An instant hidden gem … A visceral watch as each moment ticks by and the stakes are raised higher and higher.”
Film Inquiry
“Terrifically tense. A gripping social drama that morphs into a masterful thriller.”
Jessica Kiang, VARIETY
“Gripping. Filters the current unrest around women’s rights in Arab countries into a suspense narrative with a ticking clock, hinging on the tense drama of court depositions and tactical lies. A top-to-bottom accounting of a repressive society laden with class antagonism.”
David Katz CINEUROPA
“A refreshing take on complex family dynamics. Mouna Hawa’s sincere and gutsy performance will win audience favour.”
Tara Judah SCREEN INTERNATIONALT
WINNER – 2023 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL (CRITICS’ WEEK) – Gan Foundation Prize
WINNER – 2023 ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS – Best Performance (Mouna Hawa)
OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2023 SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2023 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2023 BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
Tickets
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Conc/Student: $17.00
Under 18: $12.00
Group 8: $14.00
Cinesaver
BREC Cinesaver (Book 5): $85
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