THE PERFECT CANDIDATE
drama | arabic | 101 min
Director Haifaa Al Mansour returns to her native Saudi Arabia with The Perfect Candidate, a tale of one woman's quest to challenge not only the system but also herself. A determined young doctor who decides to run for municipal council sweeps up her family and community as they struggle to accept their town’s first female candidate and watch her fight for social change on a local level.
DIRECTOR Haifaa Al Mansour
CAST Nora Al Awadh, Dae Al Hilali, Mira Al Zahrani
UK release supported by the BFI Audience Fund
“Fiery and Headstrong”
★★★★
— THE GUARDIAN
“A FIERY MESSAGE PLAYFULLY WRAPPED IN IRONY”
★★★★
— LITTLE WHITE LIES
“A QUIETLY GROUNDBREAKING PIECE OF WORK”
★★★★
— TIME OUT
“A COMPELLING, SENSITIVE AND TIMELY DRAMA”
★★★★
— EMPIRE
FESTIVALS + AWARDS
2019 Venice Biennale
World Premiere
2020 Sundance Film Festival
Official Selection
BFI London Film Festival
Official Selection
2019 Toronto International Film Festival
Official Selection