Papicha (2019)

Director: Mounia Meddour
Stars: Lyna Khoudri, Shirine Boutella, Amira Hilda Douaouda
Runtime: 108 minutes

Synopsis: Algiers, 1997. Terrorists wanting an Islamic and archaic state are everywhere. Women are oppressed, in a seek to take control of their bodies, clothing, and public space. Young student Nedjma is passionate about making a fashion show.

Performances: 8/10

Screenplay: 6/10

Editing: 6/10

Cinematography: 7/10

Score/Soundtrack: 7/10

Enjoyment Factor: 7/10

Verdict: It's no secret that most women don't benefit from a lot of freedoms in the Arab world. Whether it's by pressuring them into getting married at an early age, by forcing them to wear a hijab when they don't necessarily want to, or by depriving them of the same rights as men, sexism is without a doubt engrained in this part of the world's culture. At some point, a lot of them are even faced with a dilemma: continue to live in an oppressive state where living in dignity is often not in the realm of possibility, or attempt to sneak out of it, leaving their friends and families behind, to try to start a new chapter in an already half-wasted life.

Nedjma, whose dream was to become a fashion designer during the late 1990s in Algeria, won't tell you otherwise. "Papicha" recounts the heartbreaking true story of a young girl's college days, supposed to be the best years of her life, but turned into a nightmare simply because she refused to cover her head in a country where terrorism was on the rise.

Despite being Mounia Meddour's directorial debut, the film managed to get its message across in a pretty effective manner despite the sensitive topic at hand. Lyna Khoudri's performance in the lead role plays a big part in the success of the movie, as she magnificently managed to inject her character with both fear and courage, the two emotions that are central to the dilemma presented in the opening lines. Admittedly, it's the script that was the main reason why "Papicha" didn't hit as hard for me as "Beauty and the Dogs", which came out a couple of years earlier and that tackles very similar themes. The lack of subtlety in some scenes did dilute the emotional weight they should've carried, and the predictability of where the narrative is heading to did exempt it from its shock element. Though the second point may very much be the result of the normalization of these problems in the MENA region, which gives the audience something to meditate about.

I was impressed with "Papicha" even though it did have its issues. At the end of the day, it's an important watch that effectively delivers its message by allowing the audience to get a glimpse at what a lot of women have to go through when they're living in a society designed against them. It's available on Netflix alongside "Beauty and the Dogs", and I strongly recommend checking both of them out as this topic is rarely brought up in the world of Cinema.

FINAL GRADE: 7/10