Scales

Play trailer

1:42

Scales

2021

1h 16m

Fantasy

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

67%

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

An absolutely breathtaking debut.

Jul 24, 2021

Full Review

Amy Nicholson

FilmWeek (LAist)

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

Jul 24, 2021

Full Review

Beatrice Loayza

New York Times

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

Jul 10, 2021

Full Review

Daisy Leigh-Phippard

Screen Queens

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.

Feb 21, 2022

Full Review

Valerie Kalfrin

AWFJ.org

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

Aug 3, 2021

Full Review

Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

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

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 18, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Shahad Ameen

Director

Ashraf Barhom

Amer

Fatima Al Taei

Aisha

Haifa Al-Agha

Sumaya

Abdulaziz Shtian

Yaser

Basima Hajjar

Hayat

Ghost Walk

83%

%

Ghost Walk

Watchlist

Three Thousand Years of Longing

71%

73%

Three Thousand Years of Longing

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Three Thousand Years of Longing

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

81%

80%

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

Watchlist

Mayday

54%

37%

Mayday

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Mayday

The Lost Girls

14%

17%

The Lost Girls

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Lost Girls

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Scales: Trailer 1

1:42

View more videos

View more photos

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)