The Judge

When she was a young lawyer, Kholoud Al—Faqih walked into the office of Palestine's Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench. He laughed at her. But just a few years later, in a land where women rarely ascend to the highest ranks of governance, Kholoud became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Middle East's Shari'a courts. The Judge offers a mesmerizing portrait of Kholoud — her brave journey as a lawyer, her tireless fight for justice for women, and her drop—in visits with clients, friends, and family. In the process, the film illuminates some of the universal conflicts in the domestic life of Palestine — custody of children, divorce, abuse — while offering an unvarnished look at life for women under Shari'a (or Islamic) law.