Sihame (2022-2025)

Sihame comes from our national treasure house NPO. This superbly directed thriller drama was conceived by developer and screenwriter Achmed Akkabi (Mocro Maffia). We meet Sihame (Ahlaam Teghadouini) on the day she is released from prison. Sihame, we see in flashbacks, has fallen victim to online exposing; a sex video has been put online and shared endlessly. It quickly becomes clear that Sihame - Siham means arrows in Arabic - wants to get a story from the perpetrators.

Sihame's strongest asset is actress Ahlaam Teghadouini. Teghadouini constantly balances between anger, hope, fear, infatuation and vulnerability, and does so sympathetically. Despite, or perhaps because of, the rather exaggerated story. Half star extra. Shamira Raphaela and Lisette Donkersloot direct tightly and with elements from commercials and video clips. Catchy and fast, with of course a rapping soundtrack, Sihame sheds light on a topical and socially painful and shameful subject. Revenge with a message.

Translated from Dutch · View original

After watching the first series, I was pleasantly surprised. My expectations for the second series were therefore quite high. But I was incredibly disappointed. The first few episodes were okay, but from halfway through the series, the story's implausibility began to grow. So much so that I watched the last two episodes with great reluctance.

When I see girls and young women knocking out criminals or slitting their throats with the same ease, when one aggressor practically strangles the driving officer while driving and the suspect is released, when Sihame drives around in a practically new and large car in a different city after each escape attempt, when a young woman of about 18 single-handedly kills a group of several criminals, I find it purely unbelievable and detracts from the story, and so disturbing that I have to struggle not to turn the series off.

In short, a commendable effort to address a major problem facing girls and young women. It started well, but after two seasons, it plummeted to a very questionable level.

Translated from Dutch · View original