âThe Perfect Candidateâ Review: Paving the Way
Haifaa Al-Mansour crafts a story thatâs part family drama and part parable of female activism, set in Saudi Arabia.
Mila Al Zahrani in âThe Perfect Candidate.âCredit...Music Box Films
The Perfect Candidate
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Women in Saudi Arabia were granted the right to drive in 2018. In âThe Perfect Candidate,â a film made in 2019 that is only now being released here, Maryam (Mila Al Zahrani), a physician in a small town, is seen driving purposefully to destinations that include an airport. At that airport, she is refused permission to board a plane because her travel permit has expired. Said permit needs the approval of a guardian for renewal.