‘Hijra’ Shines at Red Sea Film Festival as a Powerful Celebration of Women’s Strength

Mumbai, Dec 20 : Stories of adventurous journeys are nothing new to cinema, but Hijra, a Saudi Arabian entry showcased at the recently concluded Red Sea International Film Festival, brings a refreshing and resonant perspective to the familiar format. Directed by Shahad Ameen, the film follows three women   a grandmother and her two teenage granddaughters   on their journey to Mecca to perform Haj, a pilgrimage that soon turns into an unexpected test of resilience and rebellion.

Set against striking landscapes and populated with memorable faces, Hijra unfolds as the trio encounters a series of obstacles, some comic and others deeply unsettling. The grandmother is as resolute as her headstrong granddaughters, and their clashing yet bonded personalities create moments of tension, humour and emotional depth.

Ameen avoids easy clichés, opting instead for understated storytelling that feels organic and inventive. Beneath its surface as a road adventure, Hijra works as a veiled critique of Saudi society. The narrative takes a gripping turn when Jana, the younger sister, discovers that her elder sibling Sara has gone missing during a bus journey to the holy city. What follows is a tense and absorbing search that propels the film forward.

Along the way, a colourful array of characters enters the frame  including Aunt Laila, who runs a beauty parlour and may know more than she lets on, and Ahmed, a genial taxi driver who amusingly sells water he claims is “holy.” The search leads to revelations about Sara’s supposed elopement, exposing the rigid social expectations that women continue to navigate.

While Hijra flirts with comedy, its core is serious and reflective. The film quietly examines the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia, acknowledging recent societal changes while reminding viewers of the long shadows of patriarchal control. In its final assessment, Hijra stands as a powerful portrait of Saudi women edging towards autonomy, mirroring the broader cultural shifts taking place across the Kingdom and its increasingly modernised neighbourhood.