Wadjda: looking into societal issues through the eyes of a child, as Haifaa al-Mansour does in this lovely drama, is generally powerful because children generally have not been tainted by societal norms and still maintain their purest hopes. Here, Wadjda is a 10-year-old girl who wants nothing more than to have a bicycle, which provides plenty of insight into gender politics in Saudi Arabia; the drama extends to the relationship between her mother and father. Waad Mohammed, who plays the title character, is very charming: a lively, smart, and driven kid; she can act too big, at times, but nothing that subtracts from her appeal. Reem Abdullah plays her mother, clearly loving and hoping for her daughter’s happiness but more attuned to reality. Ahd plays her opposite, the conservative headmaster at the school, and both adults are effective in their roles. Aesthetically, the film is simple but perfectly fine, with a good musical score by composer Max Richter.