Halttunen follows scientist
Hannele Korhonen from Finland to the United Arab Emirates after the project she fronts receives a $1.5 million research grant to participate in the Arab state's ambitious attempt to stimulate rainfall. It's a hot, arid country, so it's no surprise that the Arab states would do anything to produce more rain and water.
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Korhonen is one of the few women we see in the film. She sticks out also because of her wry sense of humour, with a fellow Finn made uncomfortable when she jokes about ugly ties. The men around her are pretty geeky. Much of her life is taken up by meetings and networking events where everyone is more comfortable chatting about unfathomable science than doing small talk. Korhonen is also most comfortable when conducting science experiments. Before she goes to the U.A.E., she has to stop to think over what she's heard about human rights and the treatment of migrant workers. Still, the opportunity is so great that she overcomes these doubts, and when she arrives in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, she is pleasantly surprised by what she finds. However, her delight at finding women working in elevated positions shows how poor her previous cultural knowledge was. It will not be the last time that Korhonen will have to weigh up scientific value against ethics.