CYCLE CINEMA #13
“Wadjda”
The Story of a World Where Women Can’t Ride Bicycles

The interesting thing about movies is that they show us diverse worlds. 
The bloody history of the mafia. 
A war that happened on a distant star. 
The encounter between a hitman and a young girl. 
The life of a samurai at the end of the Edo period. 
A soldier in a desperate situation. 
A battle against a killer by the lakeside. 
Crossing borders, eras, and time, they bring us surprise and inspiration.

**”Wadjda” (2012)** is a Saudi Arabian film (co-produced with Germany) that was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Venice International Film Festival. The director and screenwriter, Haifaa al-Mansour, is Saudi Arabia’s first female filmmaker.

The story begins in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The protagonist is a 10-year-old girl named Wadjda. She is quick-witted and skilled at saving small amounts of money. Her dream is to ride a bicycle. She wants to save up money, buy a bike, and race against her male friends. Hearing this, some might think, “Ah, this is one of those poverty films from a developing country.” But that’s not the case. Her family is likely above middle class. The living room has a large TV and a game console. There’s a driver to take her mother to and from work (although it’s shared). They don’t have much to worry about in their daily lives. Her parents work hard and show her love. If they’re not struggling financially, why can’t she buy a bicycle? Because girls aren’t allowed to ride bicycles.

From our perspective, the gender discrimination depicted in the film is shocking. 
At school, girls aren’t allowed to speak loudly (lest men hear them). 
They must cover their faces and bodies with a hijab or other garments so their shape isn’t visible. 
Young men and women of marriageable age must not meet in public. 
They’re not allowed to listen to rock music on the radio (though this didn’t seem specifically because she was a girl). 
During menstruation, women must not touch the Quran.

It feels like an absurd world, beyond even science fiction. While recent changes, like women being allowed to obtain driver’s licenses, are visible, people don’t change overnight. Many are still bound by long-standing beliefs. In this irrational world, Wadjda comes up with various schemes to get her bicycle. Eventually, she decides to participate in a Quran recitation competition, despite not being good at it, to win the prize money and buy the bike…

Different countries and regions have different norms. We can’t simply say that our country is right and others with different customs are wrong. Even in our own country, there must be customs and rules that seem strange to outsiders (though it’s hard not to be shocked by the gender discrimination shown in the film). 

The expression on Wadjda’s face when she rides the bicycle is wonderful. Will this girl, who has gained a small freedom, be able to attain greater freedom in her future life? *Wadjda* is not just a story to enjoy but also a valuable film that offers insight into Saudi Arabia—and more broadly, the Islamic world’s—ways of thinking. I encourage you to take a peek into this diverse world.

🎬CYCLE CINEMA STORAGE🎬
#01 “The Bicycle Thief”
#02 “Project A”
#03 “Shoot for tomorrow!”(origin title “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”)
#04 “The Kid With a Bike (Le gamin au vélo)”
#05 “Izakaya Choji”
#06 “Cinema Paradiso”
#07 “Kids Return”
#08 “PERFECT DAYS”
#09 “Kramer vs. Kramer”
#10 “E.T.”
#11 “Gachi-Boshi”
#12 “Yesterday”
#13 “Wadjda”

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Text＿Hideki Inoue
I am from Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. I work as a writer and editor. My hobbies include hot baths, skiing, and fishing. Although I have no personal connection, I am independently conducting research on Shiga Prefecture. I prefer an active fishing style called “RUN & GUN,” which involves moving around actively instead of staying in one place. Purchasing a car to transport bicycles for this style of cycling seems like putting the cart before the horse.

Illusutration＿Michiharu Saotome