Set in a dystopian landscape, “Scales” is the story of a young strong-willed girl, Hayat, who lives in a poor fishing village governed by a dark tradition in which every family must give one daughter to the sea creatures who inhabit the waters nearby.
Written and Directed by Shahad Ameen, her fairytale is centered on Hayat (Basima Hajjar), a young girl faced with both a challenging and embracing an ancient tradition in her quiet fishing village. The tradition: during a full moon – one daughter must be sacrificed to the mermaid-like creatures that live in the sea – this sacrifice will please the gods, ensuring a bountiful year for the fishermen. Amen’s film tackles gender roles and most interestingly the philosophy of pre-determinism vs fate.
The black and white film opens with a breathtaking scene, boldly crafted with torches and the still water, several men carrying their young daughters of all ages place them in the water. One girl is an infant and the POV underwater is remarkably haunting. The infant’s father grabs her right before she’s taken by a sea creature.
Now older, and with the full moon approaching, Hayat asks her father Amer what they’ll do. He states her mother is going to give birth to a girl which will solve their problems. Hayat ponders, what if it’s a boy? She wishes to participate in the male-dominated fishing culture but one of the elders, Amer (Ashraf Barhom) – a talented Palestinian actor who’s been in a lot of notable films – refuses to let her join. Amer states she should give herself to the sea and will never hunt the sea creatures with them.
One day while sitting near the crashing waves, Hayat notices fish scales growing on her foot. When she returns home her mother has given birth to a baby boy. Her fate, to be sacrificed to the sea, appears to be inevitable. After Hayat captures and beheads a sea creature in front of the villagers, she’s welcomed by the fishermen. She’s aware that to be accepted by men you have to behave like them.
At sea, the ballads sung by the fishermen matched with the nautical images are simply enchanting. While on the ship Amer wakes Hayat to show her how to use a speargun, as in the background the sea glistens like a galaxy of stars.
This is the second mermaid-like fairytale I’ve covered this year and it’s different but just as good as “Undine.“ “Scales” is cinematic poetry, heavy on imagery and mood while withholding dialogue. Too many films have exposition or are insecure and need to fill the air. A confident production should stand on its own with the visual storytelling superseding the narrative. The visuals in “Scales” are splendidly formed by being cold and sumptuous like Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal.” Ameen’s long takes capture the stark contrast between land and sea. Aside from gender roles and pre-determinism vs. fate, there’s a fascinating contradiction with the fishermen. The contradiction of feeding their own children to sea creatures and then hunting them is open for multiple interpretations: one of the greatest things about art.
Now playing in Select Theaters in NY and LA with a National Rollout to follow
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