''Barakah Meets Barakah'' ( ar, بركة يقابل بركة Hejazi pronunciation: ) is a 2016 Saudi Arabian drama-comedy film directed and written by
Mahmoud Sabbagh
Mahmoud Sabbagh, or Mah Sabbagh (Arabic: مَحْمُود صباغ; born March 1983) is a Saudi film director, producer, and screenwriter. Sabbagh has been a major pioneer of independent cinema in Saudi Arabia since 2013. His debut feature, title ...
, a remarkably candid Saudi Arabian love story which uses humor as a counterweight to the difficulties the couple face. Principal photography of Barakah Meets Barakah began on 25 September 2015 and ended on 22 October, and was shot entirely in
Jeddah
Jeddah ( ), also spelled Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; ar, , Jidda, ), is a city in the Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the country's commercial center. Established in the 6th century BC as a fishing village, Jeddah's pro ...
,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
. The film was selected as the Saudi Arabian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
(the second time the country made a submission for the Oscars).
The film premiered at the Forum section of the
66th Berlin International Film Festival
The 66th Berlin International Film Festival was held from 11 to 21 February 2016, with American actress Meryl Streep as the President of the Jury. The Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement was presented to German cinematographer Michael ...
making it the first Saudi feature film to premiere at the festival. It won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlinale. It was selected to represent the Berlinale during the Berlinale Spotlight program at the 14th Morelia International Film Festival in Mexico in October 2016.
The film premiered in North America at the
Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres
The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres are a pair of stacked theatres in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Winter Garden Theatre is seven storeys above the Elgin Theatre. They are the last surviving Edwardian stacked theatres in the world.
History
T ...
on September 16 at the 41st annual
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
, receiving a standing ovation.
Cameron Bailey
Cameron Bailey is a Canadian film critic and festival programmer, who is the CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Biography
Born in London, England to parents from Barbados,hathas real weight even though its humorous touch is as light as air". It was later selected as the Saudi Arabian entry for the
Best Foreign Language Film
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
at the 89th Academy Awards but it was not nominated.
The film was also selected at the 38th
Cairo International Film Festival
The Cairo International Film Festival ( ar, مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الدولي) is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year sin ...
becoming the first Saudi film ever to participate in the festival, receiving a certificate of appreciation.
The film was theatrically released in many countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, UAE, Egypt and Tunisia. It was released in Germany through Arsenal in 20 cinemas across Germany at March 9, 2017.
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
brought the international VoD distribution rights of the film. It premiered on all Netflix regions (except MENA) on October 12, 2017, making it the first Saudi film to display at the streaming service.
Plot summary
A guy from the middle class meets a girl from a wealthy family, and they start a romance in a country that frowns upon it. Barakah (
Hisham Fageeh
Hisham Fageeh (Arabic: هشام فقيه; born October 26, 1987) is a comedian and actor from Saudi Arabia.
Early life
Fageeh was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Career
Fageeh co-produced and starred in Saudi Arabia's submission to the Oscars f ...
) is a good-natured civil servant who rides around Jeddah issuing tickets for minor offences. Bibi ( Fatima Al-Banawi) is using carefully cropped Instagram videos to amass millions of likes for her fashion-forward, eco-friendly and just-shy-of-revolutionary female empowerment messages. Barakah stumbles across one of her shoots and is stricken. The two hit it off, but finding an appropriate location to meet face-to-face and share even a moment together proves challenging due to Saudi Arabia’s strict public policies. Things turn political when Barakah begins comparing today’s Saudi culture with that of his uncle’s generation. Looking at old slides, he recounts how men and women used to be able to socialise in public, there were cultural heroes besides imams.
Critical response
''Barakah Meets Barakah'' premiered at the Berlinale to positive reviews.
Neil Young of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'', called it on his Berlin Review, "Easygoing charmer conceals some sharp political barbs.".
David D'Arcy
David D'Arcy was an Australian cricketer. He played one first-class match for New South Wales in 1862/63, scoring 17 and 34 not out, the highest scorer on either side in New South Wales' victory over Victoria. Described as one of the "colts" ...
of ''
Screen Daily
''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company.
The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global film business. ...
'', stated, "Rather than break down barriers and throw bombs at taboos, Barakah Meets Barakah chooses a humor of clever restraint, rare for any first feature."
The film continued to garner positive reviews during Toronto Film Festival.
Alexander Huls of ''
RogerEbert.com
''RogerEbert.com'' is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the ''Chicago Sun-Times' ...
'', stated, "The film offers the breezy gentleness, good-naturedness and charm the best of the genre offers." He said, "It gives us an authentic rom-com experience that’s still about something—without ever sacrificing what draws us to the genre in the first place. It is both charming and meaningful. In that Sabbagh’s film reminded me of a lesson I relearn every year at the Toronto International Film Festival: there are beautiful cinematic wonders to be found if you take the time to venture outside the buzzed-about Hollywood movies."
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' critic
Jordan Hoffman
Jordan Hoffman is an American freelance film critic and former actor, director, and producer. He is best known for his work with ''New York Daily News'', ''The Guardian'', Film.com, ''Vanity Fair (magazine), Vanity Fair'', ''ScreenCrush'', and ...