By Huda Al-Shair
JEDDAH — There is a familiar phrase in Najdi culture that unmarried women often hear from older generations: “Don’t miss the train, even if you don’t have a ticket.” It reflects the unspoken urgency surrounding marriage and the fear of being left behind. Saudi director Sara Balghonaim draws inspiration from that saying in her short film Irtizaz, using humor to unpack the social pressure that continues to surround marriage for women in Saudi Arabia.
Running 14 minutes, Irtizaz (“Peacocking”) follows a young divorcee who is thrust back into the marriage market by her mother during an all-women’s funeral in Riyadh, where she is encouraged to attract the attention of a potential future mother-in-law.
“It’s about a young divorcee who is pushed into competition again by her mother, at an all-women’s funeral, to catch the eye of a wealthy man’s mother,” Balghonaim explained.
The film’s title refers to a behavioral concept drawn from nature.
“‘Peacocking’ describes how male peacocks display their feathers to attract mates,” she said. “In this case, it refers to women displaying themselves to one another.”
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that while Juju’s mother is determined to “peacock” her daughter in front of the newly widowed woman, Juju herself is shy, hesitant, and visibly uncomfortable. Surrounded by other assertive mothers and equally determined daughters, Juju struggles to navigate a space that feels competitive, performative, and overwhelming.
This tension fuels the film’s sharp writing and witty dialogue, amplified by fast-paced Afro-Caribbean music that heightens the sense of chaos.
“I wanted the audience to feel like the protagonist had been dropped into a kind of social jungle,” Balghonaim said. “It’s a space she has to navigate and survive. The music reflects that tension.”
Beneath its humor, Irtizaz tackles a reality many Saudi women recognize — the idea that marriage still functions as a form of social validation.
“When it comes to marriage, you’re somehow seen as ‘less’ if you’re not chosen,” Balghonaim noted.
Some viewers may interpret the film as reinforcing stereotypes about Saudi women and marriage. Balghonaim, however, sees it as an honest reflection of lived experience.
“A large number of women my age, and even younger, are either waiting to be chosen for marriage or actively pursuing it because it remains a form of social currency,” she said. “It’s deeply ingrained — almost like internal programming. And it may take time before our mothers fully accept that our generation is changing.”
In many ways, the existence of Irtizaz itself challenges those assumptions. The film was made with an all-women cast and a majority women crew, reflecting broader shifts taking place within Saudi society.
“I’m incredibly grateful for my crew and producers — Karen Madar, Khalid Alsudairy, Jumana Zahid — as well as associate producers Bassel Zaouk and Maryam Sindi,” Balghonaim said. “Everyone wore multiple hats to bring this film to life.”
She added that the wider community also played a key role, donating food, offering locations, and lending equipment — a gesture she sees as evidence of growing support for independent filmmaking in the Kingdom.
As the film draws to a close, it becomes clear that Juju is not only seeking approval from society, but also from her mother. Balghonaim acknowledges that this generational gap is shaped by history.
“Our mothers grew up with deeply ingrained beliefs equating self-worth with marriage,” she said. “And it isn’t really their fault — that fairytale narrative was sold to women everywhere.”
Although still a film student, Balghonaim holds an MFA in Film and TV Production from New York University. She has already won three awards for her previous work, with films screened at several international festivals.
For now, she says she is stepping back from directing to focus on long-form storytelling.
“I want to find some stability and spend time developing a feature and a television project,” she said.
