The Judge + Q&A

BERLIN FILM SOCIETY

presents

THE JUDGE (2018) – EXCLUSIVE GERMAN SCREENING + Q&A

Directed by Erika Cohn, 82mins

Throughout history, no woman has ever been a judge in the Middle East’s Shari’s courts. That is, until Kholoud Al-Faqih walked into the office of Palestine’s Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench. He laughed her off, but within a few years, Kholoud became the first female judge appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts.

Erika Cohn’s feature length documentary 'The Judge' chronicles Kholoud’s appointment to the courts, her early years as a judge, and her daily struggle to prove her legitimacy as an implementer of the law, despite constant attempts to marginalise and demote her.

Shot in the cinema verité style, 'The Judge' provides a window into the complex systems of the Shari’a court, highlighting how the law is often misinterpreted in ways that tragically affect women - allowing rape, beatings and polygamy to go unprosecuted. Throughout the film, Kholoud acts as a champion for women facing injustices, using her position of power to redefine how Shari’a law treats, perceives and respects women.

'The Judge' offers up a new perspective on the complicated legal systems of the Islamic world, whilst simultaneously highlighting the universal struggles women face for equality, economic welfare, and control of their own bodies.

TICKETS:

https://bit.ly/2RRX4F1

With thanks to

Grover

Babylon Kino

Together Films