Jordanian Amjad Al Rasheed Proves a Consummate Filmmaker With ‘Inshallah A Boy,’ His Debut Feature
In Jordanian society, the death of a husband isn’t only the loss of a lover and partner, but ‘everything’ in the wife’s life. As ‘Inshallah A Boy’ progresses, we learn just how rigid a notion this is.
Nawal (Mouna Hawa) is a loving wife, doting mother, and devout Muslim living in a gritty precinct of Amman, Jordan. She works as a nurse, spending long hours tending to the Alzheimer’s-ridden aunt of a wealthy Christian family of Arab descent. Her husband Adnan (Mohammad Ghassan) is employed at a printing plant. Their daughter Nora (Seleena Rababah) knows how to get herself ready for elementary school, but not how to tie her shoes. That’s dad’s job.
Within the first few minutes of “Inshallah A Boy,” the debut feature from Jordanian filmmaker Amjad Al Rasheed, we learn that Nawal and Adnan are intent on having another child, but that there have been difficulties in conceiving. On the night in question, Nawal tells Adnan that the time is right to make another attempt, but he begs off, claiming fatigue. There’s always tomorrow.
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