Nominated for two awards at the international documentary film festival in Amsterdam 2005

Certificate for Excellence in the category of
First Appearance

Winner of the Golden MovieSquad

More information

Director: Roy Westler

Muslim Girl, Israeli citizen, World Karate Champion

A struggle between ambition and tradition

A spirited Israeli-Arab girl challenges the traditional Muslim lifestyle planned for her by fighting to become a World Karate Champion.
Shadya’s conflict as an “Israeli-Arab” and as an “Arab-Woman” emerges when she meets the Palestinian karate team and when she marries at the peak of her career. (52 minutes)

“SHADYA is a compassionate, painfully honest exploration of the evolution of a young Israeli- Arab woman with feminist ideals in a male dominated culture set against the backdrop of the Palestinian Israeli conflict”.
Ruth Fremson, New York Times, Pulitzer Prize winner