Not long after Nasser sets out with his adolescent son to attend a wedding he finds out that his father is dying. Unfavourable circumstances not only affect the original purpose of their trip but also begin to impact the relationship between Nasser and his son, Waleed. Indeed, the interaction with their relatives exposes a serious underlying problem: much to his father’s disapproval, Waleed doesn’t identify with the strong traditions that have been upheld for generations. Through its story of a family encounter the film adopts a realistic approach to gradually uncover the divide between the rural community and the more liberal-minded inhabitants of Riyadh. In so doing the work presents a critique of deeply rooted Islamic customs and seeks to establish the extent to which patriarchy determines paternal love.
What relevance does a string of crimes committed in the past have in the present? The film depicts a story of past crimes leaving a fresh impression on our time today.
Rakan and his wife Rim are looking for an apartment to rent instead of living with his aged mother. It seems they have found the right spot, except for the hole in the wall that looks as if someone bashed it with a hammer. Rakan seems strangely unengaged, however, barely speaking to his wife. Gradually, as we slip from present to past, we piece together the story that explains his barrage of unwanted calls, chance encounters with shady characters and outbreaks of violence. When his mother’s home is burgled and she is attacked, he is confronted by the person he least wants to see.