CineZeit: Elaha

In honor of International Women's Day on March 08

The 22-year-old Elaha, German of Kurdish descent, finds herself in a moral dilemma on the eve of her wedding. In her community, a woman is expected to preserve her virginity until marriage. But Elaha is no longer a virgin and is now considering undergoing hymen reconstruction. A family drama and debut film (2023) by Milena Aboyan.

In Detail: At 22, Elaha, who comes from a Kurdish background, is preparing for her wedding. She met her future husband at another wedding—and the very next day, he and his parents were standing on her doorstep. Elaha still lives with her family, who, despite her father’s unemployment, proudly take part in the wedding preparations. However, both his parents and hers expect a bride to enter marriage as a virgin. But Elaha is no longer a virgin …

To keep her secret and protect her family from disgrace, Elaha sees only one solution: surgery to restore her hymen. The delicate procedure costs a small fortune—money she does not have. Under pressure from her future in-laws, who demand proof of her virginity, Elaha must make the right decision on her own in order to become the woman she wants to be.

Born to a Kurdish family in Armenia, director Milena Aboyan presents a story of inner conflict. She explores the challenge of finding one’s own identity as the child of immigrants, caught between conflicting cultural influences. “The history of women’s sexuality is a history of male authority over the interpretation of the female body,” Aboyan says in reference to her film.

In German with English subtitles

Germany, 109 mins.

CineZeit is free and open to all!

Photo copyright: © Kinescope Film _ Christopher Behrmann

Text: Arte.tv, translated into English, slight adjustments.

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