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Making unheard voices heard is the thrust of this poignant, playful and politically charged coming-of-ager from Haifaa Al-Mansour (Saudi Arabia’s first female director and the first person to shoot a whole movie in SA) .

Waad Mohammed is effortlessly winning as Wadjda, a rebellious kid with a longing for a bike, whose teachers tell her girls shouldn’t ride – or speak out. Wadjda won’t be silenced, though, and her tenacity drives her to a Qur’an recital contest.

Al-Mansour carefully dodges easy uplift, but her message of hope to future generations of Saudi women is clear.