The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content Accessibility

Distribution
Catalogue

What Walaa Wants

Christy Garland
2018 | 1 h 29 min

Watch the film


Raised in a refugee camp in the West Bank while her mother was in an Israeli prison, Walaa is determined to become one of the few women in the Palestinian Security Forces—not easy for a girl who breaks all the rules. Following Walaa from the ages of 15 to 21 with an intimate POV, What Walaa Wants tells the compelling story of a defiant young girl who navigates formidable obstacles, disproving the negative predictions from her surroundings and the world at large.

Awards and distinctions

  • Hilal Best Feature Award
    Ajyal Youth Film Festival, Doha
    2018
  • Best Feature Documentary
    Forest City Film Festival, London
    2018
  • Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award
    Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival, New York
    2018
  • Artistic Merit Award for documentary
    International Film Festival, Vancouver
    2018
  • DGC Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature Documentary Award
    Hot Docs, Toronto
    2018