Written and directed by Shahad Ameen
Starring Basima Hajjar, Yagoub Alfarhan, Ashraf Barhom
Runtime: 1 hour 14 minutes
Unrated
In theaters July 9

by Audrey Callerstrom, Staff Writer

With sparse dialogue, minimalist music, and a 75 minute runtime, Scales is an engaging and original dystopian fable. It doesn’t waste energy on exposition and makes careful use of its performers, especially its lead, Basima Hajjar. Hajjar plays Hayat, a pre-adolescent girl who was saved from death by her father as an infant. In her small village, every family must sacrifice a daughter to the sea as part of a ritual, so they can be given to the “sea maiden” (a mermaid). Sea maidens are caught by hunters and used for food as well as their hides. Hayat’s father Muthana (Yagoub Alfarhan) faces scorn from the village after saving Hayat’s life, as well as an upcoming difficult decision given that his wife is pregnant, and if it’s a girl, he must choose between sacrificing the baby or Hayat.

The power in Scales lies in what is left unsaid and unexplained. The village has no name, and there is no context for how this population drifted toward this ritual. Hayat has an itchy rash on her foot which looks like fish scales, but it’s not clear what that means. Hayat never speaks out against the ritual, and aside from pulling the infant Hayat out of the water, neither does Muthana. The village describes Muthana as “weak” for saving Hayat. Meanwhile, Hayat kills a sea maiden and brings it to shore for the village to eat, showing her ability as a hunter. Amer (Ashraf Barhom), who leads the hunting excursions at sea, reluctantly agrees to take her along.

Shot in black and white, Scales is visually striking. The way moonlight hits the rippling waves of the ocean at night is a stunning sight, the white reflection against the deep black of the night sea. It’s a powerful shot that is used more than once. At night, the waves look like polished, black gemstones. The way sunbeams peak through a fish net in a perfect, prism-like shape is also a memorable shot. The three main performers are tasked with adding depth to characters that don’t spend much time talking to one another, relying on things like facial expression and movement, and making what few lines they speak have lasting impact. In a village like this, it’s possible that women are not allowed to speak until spoken to, so Hayat watches, observes, and waits.

Scales is from writer/director Shahad Ameen, and it was featured on the festival circuit in 2019. It was also Saudi Arabia’s official entry into the 2021 Academy Awards. Admittedly, with all that was cancelled in 2020 and early 2021, smaller films like this one can get lost in the shuffle, but I’m happy to see that it’s getting a proper theatrical release. It’s a captivating watch with a beautiful, ambiguous ending. At times, Scales can be a little hard to follow. Some additional scenes could have been added to bridge the gap and make it clear where our characters are at any given time, and how much time has passed. But it’s a beautiful debut from Ameen and a showcase for its lead performer, Basima Hajjar.

Check out this Q & A with Shahad Ameen .