With camera in hand and a talent for creating scenes with multiple meanings, the debut director paints an enigmatic portrait of a generation of women who have chosen to pay a heavy toll for their loyalty to their faith.
Al-Qubaysiat is a closed conservative Islamic women’s order, almost completely impenetrable to the public. It is thought to have tens of thousands of followers in the Middle East, Europe, and the USA. As the order’s spiritual leader prepares for her final journey, her disciple reflects on her own activities within the sisterhood. An intimate view is offered by the protagonist’s daughter, disentangling the manipulative tendencies and influences that affect the order’s female followers and their lives. This gripping unravelling of a family secret has been lauded at the festivals in Sheffield, UK, and Tribeca, New York.