Souad (2021)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 96 minuten
Alternative title: سعاد
Country:
Egypt / Tunisia / Germany
Directed by: Ayten Amin
Stars: Bassant Ahmed, Basmala Elghaiesh and Hussein Ghanem
IMDb score:
6,4 (784)
Releasedate: 27 August 2021
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Souad plot
The 19-year-old Souad leads a double life. To her family and friends, she is the diligent college student, obedient daughter, and responsible big sister. But on social media, she creates a free-spirited, cosmopolitan alter ego in search of romantic relationships. A series of minor incidents slowly shatter her dreamed vision of the future and lead to a tragic event. Rabab, her 13-year-old sister, goes in search of answers.
Actors and actresses
Souad
Rabab
Ahmed
Wessam
Amira
Yara
The Mother
The Father
The Aunt
Reviews & comments
mjk87 (moderator films)
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- 14602 messages
- 4554 votes
Bit of a strange movie. Especially because of Saoud's death (suicide?) halfway through and that the film suddenly revolves around the sister and her search for answers. And even with Ahmed occasionally in the leading role. This therefore feels much more like two films, or even three, than one film and it doesn't quite work. The film also starts weakly, precisely the part around Saoud who is also played somewhat lackluster. The part about the little sisteris a lot better because of the disarming Rabab and the chemistry she gets more and more with Ahmed. Also visually fine and pleasantly atmospheric in the many evening scenes.
Still with a nice idea in terms of titles in the film. The film is called Saoud, also the name of the main character, and somewhere in the beginning that title also appears. But halfway through, after her death (a strange moment anyway and told too indirectly, that I think, did I miss something? So the confusion is greater than the impact) comes the name of the sister in the picture. It's fun playing with the viewer's expectations. Furthermore, a nice picture of teenagers in Egypt. 3.0*.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Collins
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- 7350 messages
- 4348 votes
Souad is a film that can be divided into two parts, each with its own atmosphere, focus and pace. The first half gives an insight into the life of Saoud, who finds herself in an identity crisis when she has to navigate between the mandatory expectations imposed on her by the ultra-repressive society and the promise of freedom that social media so seductively and insidiously propagate.
The first part fragmentarily depicts the world of Egyptian teenage girls. We see documentary-like flashes of girls who are constantly fiddling with their phones and talking about family, religion, school, looks and boys of course. It's a bit more stealthy and the atmosphere is a bit more suffocating, but otherwise there's little difference with teenage girls fiddling with their phones in other parts of the world. It is quite superficial and you really don't get to know much about dealing with the conflict between freedom and captivity and how the girls struggle with it in a psychological sense.
In the second half, Rabab is in the center pint. She is Souad's sister and has a long talk with Ahmed who is Souad's older friend. The shots in the middle of the busy city bustle through which both characters work on foot and by public transport are impressive and radiate a certain suppressed energy. In terms of content, it doesn't provide much. Clarification and clarification about the characters Souad, Ahmed and Rabab are also not found in this part. The conversation babbles on and is actually not that interesting.
Despite promising beginnings, both stories are only superficial accounts of the lives of two youthful characters who, in possession of modern resources and a modern mindset, struggle with old-fashioned norms and values in a suffocating patriarchal system. The cultural perspective is interesting. It's barely intrusive.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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