BEST OF FESTS

INSHALLAH WALAD

2023 / 113 min / color

Amjad Al-Rasheed’s debut feature is the first-ever Jordanian film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival. The enthusiastic reception received by this harrowing social drama, which has been compared to the works of Asghar Farhadi, has resulted in screenings at film events in almost every corner of the world. Basing the plot on his own family’s experiences, Al-Rasheed talks about class differences and the problem of inheritance law in Jordan, which applies only to men. When there are no male heirs, the deceased’s property must be divided amongst the family. Nawal (Mouna Hawy, in an award-winning performance), the mother of a little girl, finds herself in this situation after the sudden death of her husband. Depressed by the whole situation, she isn’t even allowed to go through her mourning process in peace, as her brother-in-law quickly steps forward to claim his share of the inheritance. Left to care for her daughter by herself, Nawal has to confront both the family and her husband’s troubled past. The path she’s forced to choose means taking a big risk, with the potential for devastating consequences.

• Cannes IFF – Europa Label Cinemas Award, Gan Foundatin Award;
• Thessaloniki IFF – Best Performance (Mouna Hawa);
• Camerimage IFF – Best Film (Directors’ Debuts Competition)