Brides director Nadia Fall: “This film is much more tender than people will assume”

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As a movie lover, I have to say that Brides, clocking in at just over 90 minutes, is one of those films that doesn’t feel huge or overly dramatic on the surface. But honestly? It really gets to you. It’s a surprisingly emotional experience and leaves you feeling completely full – in a good way! It packs a punch, even though it seems small and lighthearted.

This movie marks Nadia Fall’s first feature film. It follows teenage best friends Doe (Ebada Hassan) and Muna (Safiyya Ingar) as they leave the UK, hoping to find a better life in Syria. As the story unfolds, like most viewers, you’ll find yourself invested in their actual journey, eager to see Doe and Muna finally reach their destination despite facing many complications and hurdles.

However, the teenagers aren’t going on a simple girls’ trip. They are traveling to Syria, influenced by extremist ideas they encountered on social media, and are prepared to face any danger for a life they believe will be fulfilling and significant.

Those who follow the news will likely remember stories of teenage girls secretly going to Syria. The UK media, in particular, heavily covered the case of Shamima Begum, who travelled to Syria in 2015 at the age of 15 to join Islamic State (IS). This case became a major focus of reporting.

Fall acknowledges that the documentary, Brides, tackles a sensitive subject, but argues its main goal is to encourage viewers to empathize with others. Discussing how Begum’s situation was dealt with, Fall explains that Begum (and others who went through similar experiences) were “vilified and portrayed in a very specific way, without anyone attempting to understand their perspective, considering they were young people and legally children at the time.” He believes a lack of understanding contributed to the negative portrayal.

Although the film doesn’t directly refer to ISIS, the connections are quite apparent. Instead of presenting these stories as impersonal, lacking individual details and reduced to mere headlines, Fall (together with writer Suhayla El-Bushra) creates a powerfully moving narrative that truly captures your attention. It’s difficult not to be moved by the emotional depth of the story.

For me, the movie is fundamentally about the strong bonds of female friendship – those incredibly close relationships you develop with your best friend as you’re growing up – and also about understanding how the teenage brain works,” Fall explains.

Having recently become the new Artistic Director of London’s Young Vic theatre, Fall notes that her and El-Bushra’s experience in theatre – combined with Fall’s work with students in alternative education and secondary schools – has sparked a particular interest in how teenage brains develop. She explains that teenagers are naturally inclined to take risks, smiling as she recalls her own adolescence and playfully wonders how anyone gets through those years.

Generally, we cope because we have loving support from people around us and society tends to be supportive. However, when someone feels excluded or like they don’t fit in, that sense of security disappears. Young people are amazing, but they’re also easily influenced, prone to taking chances, and very active on social media. Therefore, we examined both the factors that encourage and discourage certain behaviors. We specifically investigated social media’s role, as well as issues like bullying, family life, and the impact of being led to believe certain things.

Fall explains that El-Bushra conducted extensive research into actual cases and soon discovered there wasn’t a single, simple explanation for any of them. Fall emphasizes this point, stating that “there isn’t one reason someone’s radicalised”.

The film clearly shows that Doe and Muna have very different reasons for leaving England. Doe is motivated by love and a long-held attraction, while Muna is more interested in escaping her current life and hoping to finally feel like she belongs. She’s seeking a way to avoid feeling like an outsider anymore.

The highly acclaimed Adolescence series received a lot of praise for its sensitive and nuanced portrayal of inceldom and misogyny in teenage boys. We understood the underlying themes, even though the series didn’t explicitly show us who was influencing these characters. It didn’t directly depict figures like Andrew Tate or similar online personalities, but the connection was clear.

Similarly, with everything in the news regarding Syria, many of us remember the images, podcasts, and documentaries covering the events. However, our approach is different. We’re focusing on the situation from the perspective of young people and offering a fresh take on the story,” Fall explains.

Given the widespread discussions about radicalization and extremism today, Fall shares that it deeply saddens her that this film remains so relevant upon its release.

More than a decade after the story takes place, we’re now living in a deeply fractured society. Those who hold power seem to enjoy creating conflict between us, based on our beliefs, religions, backgrounds, or identities. I believe much of what we see is misinformation. I think we actually share far more common ground as people than sets us apart, and the arts serve as a powerful reminder of that.

Taking care of our health is extremely important. I realize I might sound a bit unconventional when I say this, but try going to the movies or the theatre. Share the experience with others – even strangers who have different backgrounds than you. It’s about connecting, observing, and trying to understand things from another person’s perspective. Because, frankly, extremism arises from all sorts of groups, regardless of their religion or political beliefs.

Fall argues that the film Brides isn’t about extremism, explaining: “I believe it’s a story about feeling alone and the desire to find a place where you belong… If someone makes a young person feel valued or understood, they’ll likely follow them – any group will do. That’s why it’s important to offer positive alternatives. The internet has a strong influence, and algorithms are very effective at telling us what we want to hear to encourage certain behaviors. We need to protect ourselves against these influences. We must connect with each other in person and engage in conversations, even if we don’t share the same opinions.”

Many people tuning into Brides might have certain expectations, but Fall says that’s intentional. She hopes viewers will watch the film and form their own opinions. “I believe this film is more heartfelt than many will anticipate,” she explains, emphasizing that Brides doesn’t claim to have all the answers.

According to Fall, showing social media was a key element of the story, and it was important to get it right. He notes that depicting the internet on film can often feel cringy, so they needed to be careful.

A particularly strong scene in Brides is the montage showing Muna and Doe engrossed in their phones, lost in social media, and accompanied by MIA’s “Bad Girls.” Fall explained they incorporated actual footage and social media posts. He was surprised to discover that many of the girls being radicalized were also sharing posts about everyday things, like kittens and Haribo sweets, Fall shares.

Regarding the true story of the girls who risked everything traveling from Turkey to Syria, Fall admits that she and El-Bushra felt significant apprehension about even attempting to tell it. “We kept wondering if we could do the story justice, and if we’d reinforce harmful stereotypes about Muslim communities – something that’s definitely not needed,” she explains. “But ultimately, we knew we had to be courageous and move forward with it,” she says.

Throughout the movie, the focus is primarily on the relationship between Muna and Doe, which shifts between feeling like a sisterly bond and a mother-daughter connection. This relationship experiences significant strain over the 90-minute runtime. Instead of concluding with a predictably bleak ending, the film circles back to the very beginning, showing us the day Doe and Muna first met in art class.

The ending of Brides takes an unexpected turn for a couple of reasons. Throughout the film, you get the impression that the two women have a long-standing relationship, almost as if they’ve known each other their whole lives. What’s more, the flashback sequence happens after we, and the characters, come to terms with the difficult reality of Doe and Muna’s situation as they arrive in Syria. It’s a particularly sobering moment because of the timing.

You know, as a movie buff, I heard that some folks suggested we start the film with the ending and tell the story chronologically. But honestly? We just didn’t want to do that. Both I and my co-writer, El-Bushra, really wanted to leave the audience with a sense of hope and redemption. We weren’t interested in making something that felt like just… “pain porn,” that kind of art that can be “too much to swallow and insurmountable.” We wanted something more uplifting, you know?

The cheerful feeling at the end reflects the carefree nature of being a teenager, as Fall explains that friendship is a powerful and meaningful connection. Fall notes that while friendships may fade over time, they always leave a lasting impression on us and remain in our memories.

The strong connection between the women was also strengthened by collaborating on a large, all-female team, Fall explains. “Actually, the majority of our HODs [heads of departments] were women, which is quite unusual in the film industry,” Fall notes, adding that this created a “shorthand and a sisterhood.” It fostered a sense of understanding and camaraderie among them.

This isn’t about following a trend – though being socially aware is a good thing – it’s about recognizing that doing what’s right also makes for a better film, especially when exploring experiences like those of teenage girls. We had a strong sense of trust and understanding amongst ourselves. When we were up against tight deadlines and a limited budget, that trust was essential. Having a diverse team – with people from a variety of backgrounds, including a majority from global communities and many women – was a huge benefit behind the camera.

Beyond creating empathy for these two teenage girls, the film’s final images powerfully show graffiti in Doe’s neighborhood that says: “Behead all Muslims.” This detail is particularly striking and impactful.

As a supporter, it really struck me how the Islamophobia the girls experience in the film – set back in 2014 – is still so prevalent today. Honestly, with the rise of far-right viewpoints, so many people from minority groups are feeling increasingly isolated and are genuinely afraid to even go about their daily lives. It’s heartbreaking and something we need to address. It’s a critical issue.

It’s honestly amazing to see Brides finally out in the world, especially now. It feels like conversations around the themes in the film – acceptance, identity, and navigating relationships – are happening everywhere you look. As a supporter, I think it’s so important that this story is being told right now, when people are really open to understanding and embracing different perspectives. It just feels incredibly timely and I’m excited for audiences to connect with it.

For people of this diaspora, patterns tend to repeat themselves. I remember being young when 9/11 occurred, and that event fundamentally altered how our community was perceived. This is a reality that Suhayla and I have both experienced firsthand. As time passes and decades go by, we find ourselves facing similar situations again. This isn’t a coincidence.

Some people who currently have a platform – including aspiring politicians and social media influencers – are intentionally causing conflict and stirring up trouble by unfairly blaming Islam and its followers. They are deliberately focusing negativity on the religion and its community, and aren’t backing down from it. These individuals, who wield considerable power, are actively escalating tensions.

The issues persist. As the speaker explains, “We’re not a single group – we’re diverse in our backgrounds, languages, and appearances. Some express themselves with tattoos, others with hijabs. This film offers a glimpse into that reality, but the underlying problems aren’t disappearing – we can clearly see that. The fact that a US president made comments about the London mayor is concerning. You don’t have to be an artist or politically inclined to recognize that behavior is unacceptable. When powerful people make such statements, it creates a ripple effect, influencing classrooms, workplaces, and even everyday interactions. We need to actively defend ourselves against hate speech.”

Fall explains, “It’s a risky situation. It’s not only dangerous for the Muslim community, but for everyone, as anyone could be targeted next – and that’s precisely how fascism operates.”

Having already directed a film like Brides, she’s established herself as a filmmaker who creates works that are deeply thought-provoking. It encourages viewers to really consider a topic and story that hasn’t often been explored in mainstream cinema. This film warrants the audience to reflect on their own thoughts about a subject matter and narrative we haven’t ever been prompted to think of in the mainstream.

Having collaborated with talents like Michaela Coel and Aaron Pierre early in their careers, Fall is dedicated to showcasing the diversity and depth of stories, narrative, and individuals. Their vision for the future centers on providing a platform for these voices.

She explains that directly announcing a project’s message – like saying, ‘I’m making something about climate change or Islamophobia’ – would be like forcing an unwanted message on viewers. She believes that’s not her role. Instead, she wants to tell a story that is complex and, she hopes, either gentle or thoughtfully developed. She feels that allowing the audience to draw their own conclusions is much more effective.

She’s currently very busy with the new season of programming at the Young Vic, starting with Entertaining Mr Sloane. She describes it as “very bonkers, very Marmite,” with a smile. Based on her first feature film, it promises to be excellent. And if the film industry recognizes the quality of Brides, we can expect to see more of Fall’s directing talent on screen in the near future.

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2025-09-30 15:20