User reviews

Most people are disappointed with the movie , may be because they rather expected a drama with plot twists. But in real life you don't get too many. That's why this movie is different. The mother and the girl was excellent.

Amazing film. Moving. The mother-daughter relationship was profound.

Efficient snap shot of rural gender and family relations with a message.

Conflict and disharmony occurs on many hierarchical stages as the mother suffers and takes it out on the daughter who then has to more of an adult than the adults around her in more ways than one.

Not a feel good movie but hopefully people from the cultures its targeting will take it to heart. When the little girl is asked why she won't wear a dress and we see women singing in false beards, we are left in no doubt what this indeed is about.

Sand Storm may not be a masterpiece of world cinema. Perhaps more distinctive art films claim their place on that stage. This movie takes a naturalistic approach to its story, depicting development in a straightforward way without auteur splashes. It offers a big dose of realism about a tough subject and tough circumstances. Perhaps that doesn't appeal to a more casual audience.

But this is absolutely a perfect movie. How is it perfect? First of all, every moment, every scene, every line of dialogue propels the story forward in a meaningful, forceful, convincing, and deeply human way. Deeply human? Yes. The characters are thoroughly human and complex, fully imagined and developed, both in the writing and the excellent performances. The story itself is constructed in a highly economical, brilliant way. For example, the reversal in dynamism between 'stern mother' and 'indulgent father' is not only interesting in terms of development; those shifts are utterly convincing as they arise organically from dynamics internal to the story and to the (highly difficult) circumstances each character finds her or himself in. It's impressive to witness the artistry of these shifts, how well though out, convincing, and how inspired it all is. The major characters are all in deep conflict with each other, and enough is given to us to understand and sympathize with each of their positions. That's uncommon in stories, in any story, whether novels or movies. This is an admirable achievement.

The climactic moment, the moment of momentous decision for the daughter Layla, this is fantastic: she drives the family truck as her means of breaking away from her father's demands, but it is precisely in driving this truck where we first saw how her father fostered her independence and self-sufficiency in ways unseemly for a young woman in their village society. The 'vehicle' by which he helped give her independence of spirit is the very vehicle by which she flees his (or his society's) oppression. Wow.

While it's not showy, it's a deeply inspired film, full of artistry and moving, human meaning.

The film follows the struggle of a young Bedouin girl and her will to be free of old traditions that try to keep her caged in a man's world. The main plot follows Jalila (Ruba Blal-Asfour), the first wife of a man that is trapped under the pressure of having a new young wife join the clan. Her daughter, Layla (Lamis Ammar), has a secret lover at school, and Jalila must decide if she is part of the mechanism that will trap her daughter too or going to fight for the next generation to have more than she could ever dream of. The brave directing and storytelling brings to the screen a complex story, exhibiting female struggles from a very specific perspective yet in a very universal way. It is not by chance that the film has had such a successful festival circuit.

Self proclaimed intelligent and movi critics with empty brain department are connecting this below average movie with Islam or Muslim society. No surprise this movie appreciated or getting nomination for awards it's part of entertainment used for propoganda like news channels are used. This same empty boxes are silent when israelis abuse insult Palestinian arab women. Funny part is the movie is made by Israeli. What they showed in the movie has nothing to do with Islam two marriages are permissible but one cannot abandon the first wife. Marriages cannot solemenised without the consent of bride and groom. This story can be of few individuals among millions of Muslim population but it has nothing to do with religion.

I was vising my family in Israel and took advantage of the opportunity to watch this movie with friends. I prepared myself for a hard political movie, as some of the media said it was but found myself watching a beautiful non-political universal movie. Sure it is still a hard movie with an educational and sad message but it is a must see movie. We were 4 people and all of us were speechless in the end. Maybe as an Israeli with previous knowledge I had more insights and could understand this movie in several other levels but that doesn't mean that this is a great movie. Great job to all the cast and I hope it will succeed not only in the theaters across the world but may also be nominated for the Oscar this year. The cast and the story deserves it.

This film depicts a Bedouin family on the brink of changing traditions.

When the father of the family takes a second wife, and the daughter finds herself in love with a boy from college. Each character must make decisions that will change the outcome of the family. Although a main theme is about woman living in world of strict traditions I think it is mainly about a family trying to make the right decisions for each other.

Throughout the film the director will turn you against the adults, and then give you a window of insight that will allow you to sympathize with them. I was constantly urging the characters to do something, on the end of the seat, and although the film left me a little sad you must look beyond the film, to what it is trying to hint the future may hold, not just for the protagonists, but all woman around the world.

I will certainly be thinking about Layla, her sister and what life has in hold for them, for a while.

Ever so subtly like a friend pulling your arm gently, this film pulls your into the world of women and how suffocating it is for them. Across nearly four generations. With the fourth one standing at the window of womanhood but not there yet. It will tell you how their voices are muted, how their choices are compromised, how emotions, feelings, their conscience, society, reputation are all used against them. The mother is the best actor I've seen in a Long time on screen. The amount of pain, frustration, anguish she conveys with so much subtlety is mind numbing. The Daughter was stellar too. Sumbolism and metaphor used time and again in the form of tunnels, windows, make up, weddings as a societal device. Gorgeous film. One of the best I've seen offlate. Kudos to the filmmaker, the crew and the actors. Phenomenal.

The movies is well made, the scenes are very dramatic and realistic and it feels like getting punched in the chest.

Despite that, I was not a big fan of it since i found the narrative of the movies being very black and white, and not fully nuanced and open-minded.

The male charcter in the movie is clearly potrayed as the reason everything is ruined. And i interpentrate this movie being very self-righteous femenism and arrogant towards bedouin traditions. If you want to make a social-critical movie, you should potray the full scope of Things, and not say, this is right, this is wrong.

This movie would have been better if it was more open minded and not so black and white.

Sufat Chol (2016) is an Israeli movie that was shown in the U.S. with the title Sand Storm. It was written and directed by Elite Zexer.

The film takes place in an area of Israel where the Bedouins live. (Truth in reviewing--I didn't know there were Bedouins in Israel. However, they make up 3.5% of the population.) The film is in Arabic, and no Jewish Israelis appear in it. There is one mention of houses being bulldozed, but that's the only sense that there's a majority population outside the village.

Lamis Ammar plays Layla, a intelligent young woman, who is in love with "someone from a different tribe." That's not OK.

Ruba Blal portrays Jalila, Layla's mother. Hitham Omari is Suliman, Layla's father and Jalila's husband.

Matters are a little confusing in the beginning, as a pickup truck arrives at a home. The load in the pickup truck is a new bed. It signals to us that Suliman has taken a second wife. The bed is their wedding bed.

We know that, for Muslims, having more than one wife is normative. However, as the plot develops, it's clear that other matters that are considered normative appear unacceptable by our standards.

In fact, the rules and restrictions of the village appeared medieval to me. I considered whether this was an Israeli propaganda film, showing to the world how primitive the Bedouins are. However, a close friend, who is knowledgeable about these matters, assured me that this is the reality of Bedouin life in Israel.

The restrictions the mother and daughter face are disturbing and grim. However, that's what makes up the plot of the film.

This movie worked well on the small screen. It has an anemic IMDb rating of 6.8. I wondered why this important movie had such a low rating. When I checked the demographics it became clearer. Men rated it 6.7, while females rated it 7.0. (As usual, male raters outnumbered female raters. In this case, it was two to one.)

I think even 7.0 is too low for this movie. I rated it 9.

"There is always a choice". It is highly debatable how much one, who has been indoctrinated from an early age, can actually choose freely.

I get the story even tho i can not identify on any level with it. I am antitraditional and i don't like religions. I grow up in a pretty much patriarchal society at the time. I hated it. From an early age. I moved. I raise my children differently. I think different.

That being said, the only thing that i can clearly see here, is that no one, not the father, not both of his wives, or daughters have made a free choice. Because of the tribe. And not much more i can say without offending someone. I don't want to.

I really enjoyed this very well made film. The actors did a great job portraying the characters. The main character, Layla, will stay in my thoughts for a long time. Very sad how narrow many women's lives are and how few choices they have. Watched on NF and thought I was watching episode 1 of a series so disappointed that the story is finished but the movie says it all really and the ending was not disappointing.