| The Perfect Candidate | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Haifaa al-Mansour |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Patrick Orth |
| Edited by | Andreas Wodraschke |
| Music by | Volker Bertelmann |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Music Box Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Language | Arabic |
| Box office | $1.3 million [1] |
The Perfect Candidate ( Arabic: المرشحة المثالية, romanized: al-muraššaḥa al-mithāliyya) is a 2019 Saudi Arabian drama film directed by Haifaa al-Mansour. It was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 76th Venice International Film Festival. [2] [3] It was also selected as the Saudi Arabian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. [4]
Plot
A young female Saudi doctor's run for office in the local city elections forces her family and community to accept their town's first female candidate.
Cast
- Mila Al Zahrani as Maryam
- Nora Al Awadh as Sara
- Dhay as Selma
Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 93% based on 82 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A message movie admirable for its subtlety as well as its execution, The Perfect Candidate faces oppression and powerfully advocates for change." [5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 70 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [6]
Writing for The Hollywood Reporter, Deborah Young called the film a "simplistic feminist tale with an irresistible heroine" and said: "The Perfect Candidate offers a candid view on Saudi Arabian society that will pique the curiosity of Western audiences." [7]
Awards
See also
- List of submissions to the 92nd Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
- List of Saudi Arabian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
- Elections in Saudi Arabia
References
- ^ "The Perfect Candidate (2019)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (25 July 2019). "Joker, Ad Astra, The Laundromat, Marriage Story to Compete in Venice". Variety. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Venezia 76 Competition". labiennale.org. 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (4 October 2019). "Haifaa Al Mansour's The Perfect Candidate Is Saudi Arabia's Oscar Contender". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "The Perfect Candidate (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ "The Perfect Candidate Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ Young, Deborah (29 August 2019). "'The Perfect Candidate': Film Review | Venice 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ "Mostra del Cinema di Venezia: il premio Brian a "The perfect candidate"". A ragion veduta. UAAR. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
