The Source review

Comedy-drama about Muslim women on love strike

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Director Radu Mihaileanu ( Le Concert ) brings his usual feel good humanism to this comedy-drama about Muslim women on love strike.

In an unspecified Arabic-speaking village, the wives – who’ve long had the dangerous task of fetching water from a mountain spring – take action, refusing their husbands sex until they persuade the government to pipe water there.

The mix of female empowerment and Middle eastern colour is kept just on the right side of schmaltzy by firecracker turns from Leïla Bekhti as the headstrong strike-leader and Biyouna as a formidable widower.