Cinema’rabia – The Wives of the Islamic State ‘are limited to the observation of a frightening reality

Rabia – The wives of the Islamic Statefirst feature of the director Mareike Engelhardtpart of an external look on a thorny theme: the recruitment and radicalization of European young people through the Islamic State. Inspired by real testimonials and documentary research, the film follows Jessica (Megan Northam), a 19 -year -old Frenchman who, in search of a new life, travels to Syria. There, it is taken to a Madafa – kind of marriage preparation house – where it is named after Revenue and starts to live under the rigid supervision of Madame (Lubna Azabal, Fires).

Revenue It exposes the daily violence of these women, but cannot go beyond observation. Engelhadt It is limited to reenacting reports without providing greater emotional or critical density. Almost absolute confinement in Madafa It restricts the narrative, which becomes a dramatized record than a movie capable of empathy or true impact. The viewer watches, but rarely feels.

If there is impact, it is in formal care. The photograph of Agnès Godard and the art direction accurately recreate the claustrophobia of Madafasemphasizing the oppression and rigid hierarchy that govern the female daily life. This visual rigor impresses, but also distances: the protagonist emerges as a passive figure, never fully understood.

Still, there is value in the gesture of placing women at the center of a narrative usually conducted by male looks, exploring ambiguity between victims and agents of violence. The problem is that by prioritizing the shock and staging of brutality, the film ends up reinforcing stereotypes about Muslims and fundamentalists, without making room for a broader reflection on politics, culture and historical context.

At the end, Rabia – The wives of the Islamic State It sustains itself as a formal, technically competent exercise and with good performances, but little more than that. A feature that informs without thrilling, observes without question, and who, while stuck to the faithful reconstruction of the reports, loses the chance to deeply explore the human layers of his characters.

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