Olivier Meidinger

While the American tradition of the romantic comedy has waned in recent years, Justine Triet’s portrait of a woman at a crossroads in the courtroom and bedroom proves the beloved genre is alive and well in France. A feminist revision of the romcom—proving the familiar can still be unpredictable.

Trailblazing director Haifaa al-Mansour, whose debut Wadjda marked several milestones for Saudi filmmaking, returns to her homeland for this story of feminine defiance. The Perfect Candidate is a sensitive political drama that challenges patriarchal norms and finds hope in confrontation.