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On a remote island, families ensure a bountiful fishing yield for the village by sacrificing a daughter to the sea. At one such ceremony, Muthana (Al Farhan), is set to sacrifice his daughter but rescues her at the last minute.
Twelve years later, the daughter, Hayat (Hajjar), is ostracized from her family and community; one of her feet is covered in a small patch of scales. Her mother's new pregnancy appears to be an opportunity for a second daughter to sacrifice, which would allow Hayat to rejoin her family. When the new child is a boy, Hayat is again brought to the sea for sacrifice, and escapes once more.
It is revealed that the villagers are harvesting and eating mermaids, who originated as the daughters sent to the sea. Hayat joins the men and boys of her village on a fishing boat, where she is often at odds with their leader, Amer (Barhoum). In a final act of defiance, she returns to the sea which swallows her whole.[4]
Scales premiered during the International Critics' Week section of the Venice International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Verona Film Club Award.[5] In July 2021, Variance Films released the film in New York City and Los Angeles.[4]
Reception
Critical reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 32 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "A gorgeous and grim portrait of female empowerment, Scales is an auspicious debut for director Shahad Ameen."[6]
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