''A Door to the Sky'' ( ar, باب السماء مفتوح, ''Bab al-Samah Maftuh'', french: Une porte sur le ciel) is a 1989 Moroccan film directed by Farida Benlyazid. It is Benlyazid's first feature film.

Plot

Nadia is a young Moroccan woman living in France. Upon the illness and subsequent death of her father, she returns to her native

Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...

and meets a female

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...

mystic, Kirana. Nadia readopts her native culture and religion,

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, leaving her French boyfriend, Jean-Philippe. Nadia turns her family's traditional home into a

zawiyya A ''zawiya'' or ''zaouia'' ( ar, زاوية, lit=corner, translit=zāwiyah; ; also spelled ''zawiyah'' or ''zawiyya'') is a building and institution associated with Sufis in the Islamic world. It can serve a variety of functions such a place of ...

, functioning as a shelter for abused and homeless women. Nadia experiences dreams and visions of Ba Sissi, her family's deceased African servant who was known for his mysticism and piety. Her efforts are opposed by her sister, Leila, and brother, Driss. Under Islamic law, Driss has received double the inheritance she has, entitling him to the home. Nadia has a mystical vision in a trance where she sees the buried jewels of her deceased mother, enabling her to pay off the debt to her brother. Nadia, now known for her spiritual gifts, is sent to heal an ailing young man, Abdelkrim, and falls in love with him. She permanently leaves the shelter and marries him.

Themes

The film explores themes of

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

colonialism Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...

, identity, and the conflict between modernity and tradition.

Cast

* Chaabia Laadraoui as Kirana * Zakia Tahri as Nadia *

Eva Saint-Paul Eva or EVA may refer to: * Eva (name), a feminine given name Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character by Dynamite Entertainment * Eva (''Devil May Cry''), Dante's mother in t ...

as Leila

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Door to the Sky 1980s Arabic-language films 1980s French-language films 1989 films 1989 multilingual films Moroccan multilingual films