Keswick Film Festival

Synopsis

Our second film in a short season of ‘the power of water’ movies takes us to an unnamed country in Africa or the Middle East where time (and the village men, apparently) have stood still for centuries. The women of the village are still forced to fetch water via a dangerous path to the local mountain spring, while the men laze around the village. This might have gone on forever but for the spirited resistance of Leila (Leila Bekhti), who encourages her fellow women to withhold sexual favours until the men get a pipe...er... laid. The ‘Love strike’ hits the national news and the basis for our comedy drama is set; a sort of ‘Made in Dagenham’ for the Arab Spring..?

The director, Radu Mihaileanu, who has directed eight films (’The Concert’ (2009)), comes from a communist, Jewish background, but is more interested in a feel-good, humanist approach, while Leila Bekhti and Biyouna are singled out by the critics for their performances.

Who will win this battle of the sexes? Wait and see...