A Bahraini Tale is set in 1967 during the Arab-Israeli war and it was a tumultuous time for all involved. The story is built around a middle class Bahrain family and the lead character is name Fatima, a lovely woman struggling to survive in such a difficult and wild world and to shepherd her family to happiness with so much going on around them. They contrast the small story of a simple family with the large story of the war and in particular of Jamal Abdul Nasser, the man leading the forces against Israel.
It’s a complicated film and it’s exceptionally well done, particularly in how they choose to tell the story. Director Bassam Al-Thawadi deftly weaves together the tale of the family with the struggles of the Arab leader. We see parallels between Fatima and Jamal and we sympathize with them as they do everything they can to make their personal dreams come true. The acting is exceptional with strong performances from all involved. The script is tightly-written and balances the two storylines smartly. In some ways it’s a tragedy because the war didn’t end well for the Arabs but that only makes it more emotionally satisfying.