Some Might Say

As a school assignment, two Muslim teenagers in Barcelona are making a projectabout their discussions on whether or not to wear a headscarf. Aisha is from Pakistan and believes it’s a personal choice—she has decided to wear one. Ahlan, who has Moroccan parents, thinks it’s restrictive and does not. In the intimacy of their bedrooms, the friends do each other’s makeup, look up quotes in the Koran and work on their project. They communicate in their common language of Spanish as they discuss beliefs, values, family and cosmetics. The camera remains on their faces, and no one appears fully on-screen. Even during a longer intermezzo when classmates discuss parental authority, all shots are in close-up. By sticking to this camerawork, Some Might Say does a beautiful job of substantiating the girls’ conclusion: it’s about the individual, and everyone makes their own choices. The film is also an ode to their friendship, capturing them as they support each other while growing up in a potpourri of cultures.