Saudi Gazette report RIYADH – The screening of “Wajda,” a film by a Saudi female director which was supposed to be shown at Riyadh Cultural Palace last week, has been postponed, according to an official source quoted by the local media. Sultan Al-Bazie, chairman of the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, said people in Riyadh now will only be able to watch the movie after Eid Al-Fitr holidays. Rasheed Al-Rabeesh, the society's public relations officer, however affirmed that self-appointed religious volunteers who tried earlier to disrupt the screening had nothing to do with the decision to postpone the show. He said the society had faced some technical problems at the cultural palace in the Diplomatic Quarter. Wajda, directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, has won prizes and critical acclaim at a number of international film festivals. It was included in the film festivals in Venice, Dubai and Cannes. It was also shown in commercial cinemas in France, Italy and other countries. The film portrays women's role in society and their rights to express themselves. It features the story of the young girl “Wajda” and her dream to possess a bicycle to race against her neighbor and boyfriend. It also reflects on the life of her father who is an oil company employee and her working mother who encounters problems with her Pakistani driver on daily basis. The movie was filmed in Riyadh at a cost of SR15 million.
