Scales

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1:42

Scales

2021

1h 16m

Fantasy

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

SCALES is a visually stunning feminist parable set in a dystopian landscape. It follows the story of a strong-willed young girl, Hayat, whose poor fishing village is governed by a dark tradition: every family must give one daughter to the mermaid-like sea creatures who inhabit the waters, to ensure the village can continue their fishing expeditions. When Hayat's father refuses, the girl becomes a pariah, considered a curse by the village and urged to sacrifice herself -- but Hayat has her owns plans for her destiny.

Critics Consensus

A gorgeous and grim portrait of female empowerment, Scales is an auspicious debut for director Shahad Ameen.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

Jul 24, 2021

An absolutely breathtaking debut.

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Amy Nicholson

FilmWeek (LAist)

Jul 24, 2021

This is a stunning, stripped-down fable... It doesn't feel like a heavy handed metaphor -- just a beautiful art film.

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Beatrice Loayza

New York Times

Jul 10, 2021

By the end, the film feels more mysterious than ever, a frustrating conclusion that may very well be the point.

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Daisy Leigh-Phippard

Screen Queens

Feb 21, 2022

With her visual metaphors and the staggering conclusion to her tale, Ameen not only gives us a stunning Middle Eastern fairy tale, but steps into the realms of timeless myth and society-shaping legend.

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Valerie Kalfrin

AWFJ.org

Aug 3, 2021

a narrative feature conceived as a feminist parable that also calls to mind a myth or a fairy tale

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Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

Jul 18, 2021

3.5/5

Unhurried feminist parable with a powerful message, dazzling visual appeal (in a stylized black-and-white) and interesting symbolism and surrealism.

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Logan D

@Greynomad38 Jul 20, 2026

In an isolated community, female babies are sacrificed to predatory mermaids to propitiate them. After Hayat's (Basima Hajjar) father refuses to lose her, she grows up being considered a bane on her society. An absolutely stunning debut from Ameen. I've already placed her second film on my watch list. I had difficulty finding this but finally was able to locate a source and am so happy I did! This poetic film places patriarchal traditions under a lens with austere beautiful cinematography featuring the landscapes of the Musandam Peninsula. Young actress Hajjar plays her character with a fierce defiance of her fate. It is a slow film, full of bleak moments, but I found it enthralling. Highly recommended. So sad not easily available.

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Shahad Ameen

Director

Ashraf Barhom

Amer

Fatima Al Taei

Aisha

Haifa Al-Agha

Sumaya

Abdulaziz Shtian

Yaser

Basima Hajjar

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Scales: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

SCALES is a visually stunning feminist parable set in a dystopian landscape. It follows the story of a strong-willed young girl, Hayat, whose poor fishing village is governed by a dark tradition: every family must give one daughter to the mermaid-like sea creatures who inhabit the waters, to ensure the village can continue their fishing expeditions. When Hayat's father refuses, the girl becomes a pariah, considered a curse by the village and urged to sacrifice herself -- but Hayat has her owns plans for her destiny.

Director: Shahad Ameen
Producer: R. Paul Miller, Rula Nasser, Stephen Strachan
Screenwriter: Shahad Ameen
Distributor: Variance Films
Production Co: Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ, Film Solutions, The Imaginarium
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 9, 2021, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.1K
Runtime: 1h 16m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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