Film chronicles the heartfelt 10-year journey of the Badawi family
Directed by Luc Côté and Patricio Henriquez, the feature documentary Waiting for Raif will open in theatres in Montreal, Quebec City and Sherbrooke on November 4. Other cities may also be added. As human rights issues continue to make the headlines, the film follows Ensaf Haidar’s inspiring battle to free her husband, renowned prisoner of conscience Raif Badawi. As his family continues to wait for him in Sherbrooke, he still cannot leave Saudi Arabia, despite being released from prison.
Waiting for Raif will have its world premiere on October 30 at the Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FCIAT). The Montreal premiere, which is open to the public, will be held on Friday, November 4, at the Cinéma du Musée, with the filmmakers, Ensaf Haidar and her son Tirad (Doudi) Badawi in attendance.
Filmed over a period of eight years, the documentary tells the tragic tale of a family torn apart by the Saudi monarchy’s intransigence, as it follows Ensaf Haidar’s inspiring battle to free her husband, prisoner of conscience Raif Badawi. Waiting for Raif offers a moving look at the personal and political implications of the affair, providing an inside view of the challenges faced by a young refugee mother of three, both in her adopted home of Quebec and on the global stage.
Screening in cinemas as of November 4
- In Montreal:
Cinéma Beaubien (French version)
Cinéma du Musée (English and French versions)
- In Quebec City:
Cinéma Cartier (French version)
Cinéma Le Clap (French version)
- In Sherbrooke:
La Maison du Cinéma (French version)
