There is a sense of exhilaration at the beginning of Brides, the debut feature from Nadia Fall. Two teenage best friends make their way through an airport toward an unknown destination; in its ideal state, an airport represents unlimited freedom to go anywhere in the world and experience something new. The mood of these bubbly young Muslim girls is slightly thrown off when one of them, of Somali descent, gets chosen for a “random” inspection going through security. Despite this minor hiccup, the two are soon back to horsing around in a perfume store located in the terminal and playing an old-fashioned game of “snog, marry, kill.” Things only start to get truly uneasy with throwaway lines about their parents not “understanding” their choices. It is clear that this is no normal trip, and as we get to know these young women, Fall challenges the audience to reflect on whether they could ever understand why and how they got to this point in their journey.
As pieces start to fall into place regarding the destination, we begin to get flashbacks that slowly peel back some of the layers of our characters. Doe (Ebada Hassan) has been living in the UK since the age of three with her mother as a refugee from Somalia. Doe lives up to her name with her large, impossibly expressive eyes that light up when she is with her friend and fill with crushing sadness as she shoulders the burden of harassment she faces on a near-daily basis. Despite living in a Muslim community, she is still considered an outsider amongst people who are already outsiders themselves. There is also a steady stream of war footage on television and social media that makes even the strongest minds feel helpless. On top of this, her mom has a new boyfriend who only adds to the tension within her household.
Domestic unrest extends to Muna (Safiyya Ingar), a boisterous and fearless UK-born girl from a traditional Muslim Pakistani family. Her demeanor is nearly the polar opposite of Doe’s, yet there is an understanding of the hardships they both have faced. Muna gets the tragically expected casual racism from her white classmates, an obvious contributing factor to her tough demeanor. Like Doe, her homefront is no oasis as she fears drawing the ire of her brother, the patriarch of her family since her dad left. This fear often translates to violence at school as Muna gets into brutal scuffles as she aims to protect both herself and her best friend.
You would be hard-pressed to find two young minds more susceptible to the promise of something better, something spiritually nourishing. Doe has especially always turned to her faith, and her conviction only deepens as she connects with a highly principled, charming young man at her mosque. As you observe Doe and Muna discussing the need to buy return tickets to seem “less suspicious,” you understand that there is nothing good on the horizon for them. The year is 2014, so the threat of ISIS is not a fact as widespread as it is now, but the propaganda dangled in front of them to start a new life in Syria as a part of a loving community should raise some red flags regardless.
Fall, through her careful handling of the script by Suhayla El-Bushra, makes the wise choice not to judge these characters, and the film urges you to do the same. These are not “dumb” girls or “evil” girls, these are just normal girls trying to survive. You feel joy for them in their most hopeful moments of freedom as M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” blares out of the speakers and they first see the beauty of Turkey. And when they are taken in by a kindly clerk for the night and get to see a family of women harmoniously living their best Muslim lives with copious amounts of food and singing. This is always short-lived, though, as racism rears its head in unexpected moments. There must be someplace that will not make them feel small, right? They just need to make it to their destination.
Setting religious beliefs and persecution aside, the film embodies what it feels like to be a teenager, for better or for worse. During this time, you are going through some of the most intense physical and chemical changes you will ever experience, and your emotions are operating at full volume. Your friendships at this point are some of the most intense relationships you will ever have. There are points when Doe begins to have doubts about their journey, especially when it comes to cutting off communication with her mom, but the pact she has made with Muna is hard to rebel against; they understandably believe they have no exciting alternative. From an older outsider’s perspective, it is easy to judge the misguided notions of youth, but there is no hope of real connection if you don’t seek to understand.
Nadia Fall has crafted a heartbreaking feature debut with Brides. The experience of viewing this movie is like watching a car crash in slow motion you are powerless to stop. Ebada Hassan and Safiyya Ingar give incredible performances that make you love and want to protect these characters even when they frustrate you by acting against their own self-interest. Through this nuanced story of friendship and rebellion, you achieve a greater level of empathy for those who are hurting and feel they have nowhere to go. None of us were perfect in our youth, and we owe it to each other to reach out a hand when the only visible path seems to lead into darkness.
Brides had its World Premiere in the Word Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
Director: Nadia Fall
Writer: Suhayla El-Bushra
Rated: NR
Runtime: 93m
Director Nadia Fall takes an even-handed look at the crushing weight of isolation within a community and the misguided avenues you can seek out when you are young and impressionable. The performances from our two leads are incredible as you come to understand more about their pain and frustrations.
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GVN Rating
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
