by Robert Alstead

Girls on film
The territory is familiar, but there’s always something new to be seen, even on an old path. Sabah (Arsinee Khangjian) is a 40-year-old Muslim spinster, who still lives at home in Toronto, looking after her mum since her father died and is the rock the rest of the family rely on in times of trouble.
Her brother Majid (Jeff Seymour) is from the old school. Despite being married to a non-Arab Canadian his views are conservative. He feels Sabah’s place is in the home, his daughter Souhaire (Fadia Nadda) should have an arranged marriage and he should support them all.
This sounds downbeat, but it isn’t. Despite Majid’s controlling streak, this is a family dominated by women and they don’t always play by the rules. Sabah plots with her niece Souhaire to try to help her find the right guy and at the same time begins to open up herself. She starts to swim at the local pool – despite this being contrary to her family’s strict beliefs – using her trips to the pharmacy for mum as cover. A chance encounter with non-Arab, non-Muslim Stephen (Shawn Doyle) brings unexpected romance and sets her on a collision course with those at home.
Although Ruba Nadda is dealing with a serious subject, she has a lightness of touch which stops this film from slumping into depression. Sabah, beautifully acted by Khangjian, discovers a forgotten joie de vivre and the audience is carried along with her. Stephen is so sweet that you want to take him home yourself and even Majid has secrets that may explain his manner. Even though similar ground may have been trodden in East Is East and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it feels fresh here.
Sabah is gently comedic, full of warmth and, perhaps most importantly, believable. This film has such a big heart you’ll probably want to give someone a hug while you watch it.

Join the sisterhood
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants might sound like a Monty Python sketch, but is a heart-warmer about four best girlfriends who strengthen their bond as they enter a new phase in their lives by sharing the same pair of jeans. One of them wears the pants and then mails them on to the next in line, thus maintaining their connectedness. Along the way, we follow each one’s unique trials and tribulations.
More challenging in tone is Holy Girl (La Niña Santa) from Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel. An understated, slow-burn drama, it offers memorable insights into the nature of intimacy, sexuality and morality. Amalia (Maria Alché) is a fervently religious and dreamy 16-year-old schoolgirl, who finds her calling when a middle-aged stranger rubs his crotch against her in a crowded street and then slips away.
For reasons that gradually emerge, Amalia follows him and spies on him. He becomes her project. It turns out he is one of the doctors staying at the old-world, imperial hotel, where Amalia lives, for a medical conference. When her attractive, divorced mother begins taking an interest in the same man, the questions of boundaries are further called into question: the doctor is married with children.
Martel might be accused of trying too hard at times with some bizarre camera angles and a tease with the minimalist storyline, but the intimate depictions of Amalia’s relationships with her mother, uncle, the doctor and best friend from Catholic school, give this study of sexual awakening an honesty that rings true.
An update on the Vancouver International Film Centre: it was due to open this spring, but construction was delayed. VIFF says that the 183-seater theatre, with its state-of-the-art projection facilities should be ready top open for the festival this fall. If you want to find out how it’s doing you can find weekly updated photographs at www.vifc.org
Finally, if you enjoyed spoof web animation The Meatrix, now’s a good time to watch Cuke Skywalker and a gang of organic food, like Chewbrocoli, do battle with the dark forces of the food industry in Grocery Store Wars, www.storewars.org. May the farm be with you.

Robert Alstead, who also writes for iofilm, is currently making a documentary about cycling called You Never Bike Alone. Sabah review by Elf, also at iofilm.