Sunday, March 17 / 7:45 pm / Ottawa Art Gallery

Program: Quiche, Inshallah a Boy
Guest: Suzannah Moore, director of Quiche

Feature presentation \

security \ motherhood \ patriarchy

Grieving the sudden loss of her husband, Nawal finds she has lost so much more than her partner and the father of her child. According to Jordanian laws, and a contract her husband forgot to sign, her brother-in-law is entitled to half of her inheritance, including the small mouse-infested apartment she shares with her young daughter Nora and custody of Nora herself. The explanation of the patriarchal law prompts Nawal to ask; what if I had a boy? With no sympathy or leeway from her brother-in-law, timid Nawal is pushed into a tight spot within their already restrictive society and begins to push back. The first Jordanian feature to premiere at Cannes and Jordan’s International Oscar selection, the film plays out like a thriller as Nawal navigates her way around the rules, and even breaks some, to protect her way of life with her daughter. Palestinian actor Mouna Hawa, as determined mother Nawal, is riveting. Desperate to prove she is pregnant (a potential son is better than no son at all), Nawal strikes a potentially dangerous deal with the daughter of the rich family for whom she works. A galvanizing drama, Inshallah a Boy, like its heroine, exemplifies the power of a woman who has set her mind to get what she deserves.

- Tish Black

Short film \

Quiche

2022 / 11 minutes / Ontario
Director: Suzannah Moore
Language: English

As a young mother adjusts to life with her baby daughter, an inquisitive neighbour threatens to upset the delicate balance that’s been built.

At a time when society is seemingly becoming more individualistic, Quiche serves as a reminder of the importance of community, especially in times of struggle.