QUICK AND DIRTY: LIVE FROM THE RED SEA

Iman (Mariam Sherif) is a smart, eloquent, charismatic and strong-willed young woman. A fascinating human being, with a broad smile, a contagious laughter and a hypnotic gaze. And she is a dwarf. Or a “little person”, as more inclusive, modern-day language in Egypt mandates. She lives with her able-bodied sister Saffeya (Nihal Kamal) in a middle-class apartment, on a busy street of Cairo. Her sibling is planning her wedding to Khaled (Mohamed Gomaa), and she needs Iman’s emotional and also financial support. That’s because her future in-laws (particularly Khaled’s greedy and unpleasant mother) demand that she buys them a frost-free refrigerator as part of the dowry. But Iman isn’t giving in so easily. She wants to vouch for her sister’s wellbeing before reaching deep into her pocket. She is keen to prove that a woman is worth a lot more than a kitchen appliance.

Meanwhile, Iman seeks a suitable partner for herself online. Amad (Mohamed Mamdouh) becomes enamoured with the mysterious women, despite having only ever seen one picture of her (a real face picture, carefully taken from an angle that conceals her dwarf features). She claims that her camera is broken, while also endlessly procrastinating their eventual first encounter. Despite her abundant self-confidence (she sees herself as Snow White, hence the film title), she is terrified that her suitor might dump her upon finding out her stature of just 119cm. Amad promises her that his love is sincere, regardless of her looks. Much of the narrative revolves around the question whether Amad will indeed accept her for who she is, or if the callous truth and bigotry will shatter Iman’s romantic dreams.

Sherif’s Iman is delicious to watch. She’s beautiful, she is fun, and she’s profoundly human. She’s full of love to give, but she also has her demands. She shuns the possibility of an arranged marriage, as well as the advances of an adorable dwarf of roughly her age. First-time director Taghrid Abouelhassan succeeds at creating a multidimensional character. While recognising the challenges that dwarves have to face (particularly women), the female filmmaker neither victimises nor exoticises the protagonist. This is not the first time the two women worked together. Sherif also starred in Abouelhassan’s short film A Evening Dress (2020).

Dwarfism is widespread in Egypt. According to one of the film characters, roughly one third of the “little people” on this planet inhabit the North African nation. They do enjoy certain safeguards, such as quotas at the workplace and a syndicate. Nevertheless, less than 3% have an official job, and they are banned from driving – a prohibition that the head of the syndicate is proud to shun, in a vehicle with adapted pedals. Iman is one of these people: she is fully functional with a good job, and a semi-decent wage.

Abundant joie-de-vivre and music helps to lift what could have been a moody social drama. Iman loves to let her long hair loose and dance in front of the mirror inside her colourful princess bedroom, a microcosmos of freedom and beauty that she crafted herself. And she’s a great throat singer. Oum Kalthoum’s power ballad Days Passed also infuses the story with a palpable sense of optimism. Snow White is an inspiring and empowering little movie guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Plus, it’s also a very serious meditation on ableism, sexism, religious and cultural norms.

Snow White just premiered in the Main Competition of the 4th Red Sea International Film Festival.