Bijan Ali

The Wedding Singer's Daughter

It's nighttime in 1980s Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Glittery and glamorous heels climb out of cars. Women shrouded in traditional black abayas make their way into a wedding hall. There, they reveal what's underneath: dazzling dresses and wild hair. Their true selves set free, unseen by male gaze. There are strict segregation rules in Saudi weddings. All eyes and ears are on the wedding singer, until the electricity cuts out suddenly. "This is the worst wedding singer ever," guests mutter, condescendingly. Will the young daughter manage to save her mother's dignity?