The Virgin Diaries

28-year-old Fatiha from Morocco has finally decided to wed the man she is married off to. At their first meeting, her future husband kisses her a hand. Later he accuses her of compromising her sexuality as Fatiha allowed the kiss to happen. Before anything, she wants to find out what the place of sexuality and virginity is in Islam. Being a Moroccan woman, she cannot conduct this search on her own. The American director Jessica Woodworth comes to her aid. Together, they travel right across Morocco to try and get a conclusive answer from religious leaders, scientists, doctors, progressive and conservative people, married and unmarried, and taxi drivers. Woodworth has given their journey the form of a diary. Every now and then, she mentions a date, describes where things stand, allows Fatiha to unburden herself and a number of experts give their comments. As regards content, Fatiha and Jessica’s jaunt does not result in anything much initially. The fact that the appalling answers drive Fatiha to despair is predictable. ‘A woman is lost as soon as she is penetrated’, etc, etc. It was also to be expected that a breach would develop between the thoroughly Western director and the central figure, who in spite of everything remains deeply religious. Three quarters of the way into the film, an unexpected turn puts Fatiha’s questions about life on edge, after all. During a European trip, she falls head over heels in love with an Iranian refugee. How will this Islamic waverer straighten this out?