Join Harvard Alumni for Global Women's Empowerment for our second Movie Club Discussion of 2025 on the critically acclaimed film Wadjda.

Two sessions available: Saturday at 7 AM ET and 12 PM ET.

Wadjda is a groundbreaking 2012 Saudi Arabian drama written and directed by Haifaa al-Mansour in her feature directorial debut. It holds the distinction of being the first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the first directed by a female Saudi filmmaker.

Set in Riyadh, the film follows Wadjda, a spirited 10-year-old girl who dreams of owning a bicycle so she can race her friend Abdullah. But in a society where girls riding bikes is frowned upon, her mother’s refusal reflects deeper societal tensions.

A quiet yet powerful story of determination and agency, Wadjda offers a compelling lens into girlhood, resistance, and the pursuit of freedom in a restrictive society.