The eponymous protagonist of this dramatic and moving debut feature yearns to escape the strictures of the repressive environment of ‘90s-era rural Saudi Arabia. Residing with her aunt and younger brother in a small village after a family tragedy, Norah buys contraband magazines from the local store and dreams of returning to the city where she was raised. In a country where printed and drawn images are forbidden, she longs to find some representation of herself. Enter Nader, a tall and quiet man brought to teach at the small school. After her brother wins a class competition and brings home a drawing made by Nader, Norah decides that she will try anything to have her portrait done by this kind and gentle stranger. Winner of a Special Jury Mention in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, the film expertly portrays the rising tensions that swirl around and between these two characters hoping to see and be seen.
Friday October 4, 2024 3:30pm - 5:04pm PDT
Rafael 1
