The Perfect Candidate

Synopsis

Maryam is a Saudi doctor who must deal with much more than her patients’ injuries. Despite serious injuries, her most recent patient is unhappy to be attended by a female doctor and initially attempts to refuse treatment. The road leading directly to her clinic is also flooded, proving a serious health hazard, but she is unable to get it fixed. Additionally, when Maryam is set to attend a medical conference in Dubai, she is refused the right to board her plane because of a bureaucratic issue over documentation. Feeling demoralised and discriminated against, Maryam decides to fight back by becoming the town’s first female candidate in local elections. At first, she does so only to raise attention to these issues and struggles she’s experienced, but – despite the skepticism of some of the community – her campaign begins to gain momentum, leading to worries amongst many of the men with power. ‘The Perfect Candidate’ is an F-Rated earnest examination of the changing nature of gender and politics in the modern-day Middle East.