Sabah (, Translation "Morning") is a 2005 film directed by Ruba Nadda and starring Arsinée Khanjian as Sabah, a traditional Muslim woman living in Toronto. She falls in love with Stephen, a non-Muslim Canadian man (played by Shawn Doyle). The film had the alternate title Coldwater.

Plot

Sabah is a 40-year-old single immigrant from Syria living in Toronto with her family. She is responsible for her mother's well-being. Since her father's death, her brother Majid has been the family authority figure.

Her niece, Souhaire, does not want him choosing her husband. His marriage is rocky, and he insists on tradition. Sabah decides to start swimming again; an activity not allowed by Majid. At a city swimming pool she meets Stephen; they are attracted to each other. Because he is not a Muslim, Sabah hides their friendship from her family.

With passage of time, their relationship gets deep and at one point they share a kiss. Sabah's niece teaches her belly dancing which Sabah enjoys. One day, while visiting Stephen at his carpenter workshop, she decides to stay overnight with him. Informing her mother that she will not be back that night, she dances and the two have sexual intercourse.

The next day, as she returns home, she faces her mother, brother, sister, sister-in-law and niece who are anxiously waiting for her. After some hesitation, she tells them the truth about her doings in the last few months. Majid responds by announcing that Sabah is no longer a part of the family, as Muslim traditions forbid marriage for Muslim women to non-Muslims. Sabah leaves and Majid decides to take care of their mother.

At Stephen's workshop, Sabah is met by her mother, sister and sister-in-law who insist that she speak to Majid. Majid tells her that the money their father left had run out eight years ago and he is supporting the family himself. Eventually both agree that the family must change. The women of the family are impressed by Stephen and his deep blue eyes.

The film ends with a feast at Sabah's family home. Stephen is mingling with his in-laws and everyone is having a good time.

Cast

  • Arsinée Khanjian as Sabah. Nadda stated that she asked Khanjian to perform the role because Khanjian was the only actress Nadda envisioned in the role of Sabah and because Nadda enjoyed Khanjian's work. As the film progresses, Sabah shows more confidence and begins loosening her manner of dress by showing more hair and wearing red clothing.
  • Shawn Doyle as Stephen Montpellier. Stephen, a White Canadian, is a carpenter from Sudbury, Ontario, who makes wooden crosses that he sells to churches. He is an atheist. Young stated that Stephen's "natural reactions to the surprises in their relationship make him a measuring stick for [Sabah's] family's off-centeredness". As the idea gestated, Nadda decided to use an older woman as the protagonist since such a character is limited by the already set-in-stone household roles and because such a woman may feel that a forbidden relationship would be her final chance for love; Nadda reasoned that the fear may tempt the woman into having an illicit affair.

According to Fadia Nadda, in the initial draft Stephen rescues Sabah during their first meeting; Fadia Nadda argued that having them meet in a more mundane manner was more realistic. Luc Montpellier served as the film's lenser. Deborah Young of Variety stated that the film has "an attractive, brightly colored look."

Deborah Young in a review for Variety stated that Sabah's family previously had "drawn" a "hard line" so the "[T]urnaround ending, though comically inevitable, seems dramatically forced".

Steve Erickson of Gay City News argued that the film's premise of "multi-cultural bliss" "feels mighty hollow" since this is "a world where tribal and ethnic tensions aren’t going away any time soon".

References

  • Sabah official website (Archive)
  • Sabah at Mongrel Media
  • Sabah - Official website of director of photography Luc Montpellier, includes an excerpt of the film
  • Ellerman, Evelyn. Profile at Canadian Film Online, Athabasca University (French version)