Netflix on Thursday dropped its Saudi Arabian psychological thriller “The Matchmaker,” which centers on a married It worker who becomes infatuated with a beautiful intern at his office and ventures into ground that breaks several types of local boundaries.
In the film, which is directed by Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan — whose 2019 directorial debut “Last Visit” depicted Saudi’s patriarchal culture — the protagonist (Hussam Alharthy) winds up following the intern (Nour Alkhadra) to an eerie desert resort where a matchmaker (Reem Alhabib) promises men she will pair them with their perfect bride.
The basic premise behind “The Matchmaker,” which is produced by disruptive Saudi shingle Telfaz 11, was to make a genre movie that played on the practice of “misyar,” a no-strings attached marriage often done secretly in Saudi society. Under the rules of “misyar” the wife waives conventional marriage rights such as cohabitation and financial support. The practice has been legal in the conservative Muslim kingdom for decades.
In the film, which is directed by Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan — whose 2019 directorial debut “Last Visit” depicted Saudi’s patriarchal culture — the protagonist (Hussam Alharthy) winds up following the intern (Nour Alkhadra) to an eerie desert resort where a matchmaker (Reem Alhabib) promises men she will pair them with their perfect bride.
The basic premise behind “The Matchmaker,” which is produced by disruptive Saudi shingle Telfaz 11, was to make a genre movie that played on the practice of “misyar,” a no-strings attached marriage often done secretly in Saudi society. Under the rules of “misyar” the wife waives conventional marriage rights such as cohabitation and financial support. The practice has been legal in the conservative Muslim kingdom for decades.
- 4/28/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan’s psychological thriller The Matchmaker on Netflix brings us a story about a woman who was saved from her abusive marriage by a supernatural power and started using it to save other women stuck in similar situations. Starring Husam AlHarthi, Reem AlHabib, and Nour Alkhadra, the Arabic-language movie speaks about the decision to protest the injustices women face by forcing abusive men into servitude by a gruesome method.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In ‘The Matchmaker’?
When a mild-mannered family man is smitten by a mysterious beauty at his office, he decides to follow her to a hotel in the middle of the desert in hopes of getting married to her. He soon starts realizing that there are some rather strange things at play in this hotel, and he decides to make an escape. However, the hotel authorities, especially the matchmaker lady, won’t let that happen.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In ‘The Matchmaker’?
When a mild-mannered family man is smitten by a mysterious beauty at his office, he decides to follow her to a hotel in the middle of the desert in hopes of getting married to her. He soon starts realizing that there are some rather strange things at play in this hotel, and he decides to make an escape. However, the hotel authorities, especially the matchmaker lady, won’t let that happen.
- 4/28/2023
- by Indrayudh Talukdar
- Film Fugitives
Netflix has previewed a selection of upcoming films and shows aimed at the Arab world and hailing from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Egypt, and Jordan.
The global platform has been steadily making inroads into the Middle East and North Africa since 2015, in the face of fierce competition from local players such as Mbc’s Shahid VIP and Starzplay.
The new productions, mainly due to launch in 2023, include Saudi Arabian feature Alkhallat+, a satirical suspense film based on the hit online show Alkhallat, which was first released in 2017 and received more than 1.5 billion views across YouTube and social media.
The feature is one of the first productions to come down the pipeline under an eight-picture deal with burgeoning Saudi Arabian studio Telfaz11, signed in November 2020.
“The film will feature four exciting comeback stories of social deception and trickery in four unlikely places, bringing the best of this beloved Saudi show to life,...
The global platform has been steadily making inroads into the Middle East and North Africa since 2015, in the face of fierce competition from local players such as Mbc’s Shahid VIP and Starzplay.
The new productions, mainly due to launch in 2023, include Saudi Arabian feature Alkhallat+, a satirical suspense film based on the hit online show Alkhallat, which was first released in 2017 and received more than 1.5 billion views across YouTube and social media.
The feature is one of the first productions to come down the pipeline under an eight-picture deal with burgeoning Saudi Arabian studio Telfaz11, signed in November 2020.
“The film will feature four exciting comeback stories of social deception and trickery in four unlikely places, bringing the best of this beloved Saudi show to life,...
- 10/6/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
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