User reviews

... burst a blood vessel, up the heart rate, wind the moral compass spring to its limit; to blow-a-fuse, to frustrate and anger and despair and to hope, to hope, that the story makes a difference to anyone/someone having their basic human rights removed - no matter who or what or where they are and regardless of who's controlling them, to have hope that it can and will change and get better and to know that they are not alone.

"Hva vil folk si" follows the story of a young Norwegian-Pakistani woman Nisa and the horrors that she faces in the hands of her family in the name of culture. These are one among thousands of horror stories that happen to people of the developing world. Though the developed countries have matured culturally, the developing world is far behind and still treat grown up children like property.

Director Iram Haq gives life to her own ordeal and the horrors that she faced as a young woman. Ably supported by her lead actor Maria Mozhdah, who in a tremendous performance will steal our hearts and sympathies equally. Brilliant cinematography and editing are a plus factors to this low budgeted film. Supporting actors too have done a decent job. Sync sound is used to great effect to kindle our emotions.

It is a must watch movie for the developed world, just to understand how culturally different they are from the rest. I believe that Religious Parents in the developing world wouldn't give a hoot to the contents in Hva vil folk si but liberal parents can learn a thing or two. One should take care of their children till they are about 12, Only guide them and support them as teenagers, at 18 they should be able to decide for themselves. The children have come to live their lives in this world not ours.

Very good movie, all actors are very good, the performance of Maria is superb,you can feel her feelings even when she is silent..the movie shows the problem a girl faces because of two different cultures, this clash of cultures is not only a problem of pakistan but it is a reality all around the world

The claustrophobia one feels during this film is almost unparalleled. You feel what this Pakistani girl in Norway feels. The filmmaker is in complete control of the craft and knows each frame she wants to use. Nothing is wasted. Nothing is over the top. From sub characters to main characters everyone has done a pitch perfect job. Adil Hussain's last look at us is haunting. And the young girl who's the protagonist is absolutely lovely. What a film. A feminist masterpiece. Kudos to the team.

'What will people say' isn't any easy movie. It'll make you fall in love with Nisha, root for her, enjoy life with her and when all her freedom is curtailed you will cry for her, feel disturbed , haunted and by the end of the movie , like Nisha ,you too will crave for her freedom, wish to be broken from the shackles that her parents have imposed on her, pray to run away as far as possible and to live life to the fullest . Maria Mozhdah as Nisha perfectly embodies the life of thousands of girls in India and Pakistan who are forced to play along the whims and fancies of their parents. Their voices are muted, actions are restricted and in the end they become mere puppets in the hands of their parent who live the way the society wants them to. When Mirza tells Nisha " you mean everything to me" his everything matters less than his society's opinions. He is happy to lock up his daughter,mentally abuse her and take away her freedom if that is what the society wants. It isn't Nisha but 'what will people say' that means everything to him.

This Norwegian piece of art is a must watch for its raw emotions, gripping story line and gorgeous frames. The movie will stay deep with you, haunt you and in the end remind you of how far ahead we are of freedom.

Tragic, heartbreaking & a tad too relatable, What Will People Say packs a premise that will strike a much deeper chord with desi audience, for the depicted culture & way of life in this story mirrors that of our own, especially the part where women are expected to prioritise family image over own choices and live as per societal expectations.

The story follows a young Pakistani teenager in Norway who tries to balance the cultures of both countries as best as she could. Her life turns upside down when her father catches her with a boy in her room and, in order to set an example & escape the judgment of their peers, send her to a small Pakistani town to live with their extended relatives.

Written & directed by Iram Haq, the story handles its provocative subject matter with honesty as Haq leaves no stone unturned to illustrate the age-old beliefs & customs that families in these demographics still adhere to but Haq shows these absurd social restraints as they are instead of condemning them outright due to which the plot as a whole doesn't pack a strong enough punch.

However, the real highlight of this picture is Maria Mozhdah whose emotionally resonant performance makes her a sublime discovery. Her rendition is so genuine, her character arc is so lifelike and her expressions are so spot-on that we are on board with her from the start and could relate to what she's feeling at any given time. The rest chip in with good support but it is Mozhdah who steals the show.

On an overall scale, What Will People Say is a tense, absorbing & moving story about women's rights, cultural clashes & familial duties that presents Iram Haq taking a leaflet out of her own life to deliver a semi-autobiographical account that's sensibly directed, finely scripted & brilliantly acted. Led by an astounding debut performance, this Norwegian drama with desi roots is one of the better films of the year and comes strongly recommended.

In case you plan to watch this movie, be ready to be emotional. It succeeds in expressing the feelings of a teenager who is forcefully abandoned in an unknown nation to never known relatives. The freedom of the teenager is denied in the name of religion, but the question is " Does the religion asks us to be bonded"? Anyways the story explains beautifully how some parents become devils in a child's life and the ultimate goal of a women should be marrying and serving her family.

I wish I had the guts and courage to talk about what happens to me as a girl in Iran. Thank you Iram Hag for this movie.

I enjoyed watching this film. It is encouraging to see someone making a film depicting the social issues of this part of the world rather than following the standard Bollywood romcom framework. Such films really highlight the patriarchal and literally "what-will-people-say-focused" society, which is an unfortunate truth of Pakistan.

The narrative was captivating right from the beginning but on many occassions, I felt, it was cushioned with the the obvious. It would not be harsh to say that if I were to pick up all the stereotypes about Pakistan and try and fit them in one tiny bag, I would cover a big chunk of this film. It would have been far more interesting to pick a handful of these stereotypes and play around with the nuances of the situation.

The same point can be made about the characters. It is too obvious to pick the good guys and the bad guys here. Good being the Nisha and the Norwegian child support team and the bad.. well you know.. It is a lot more challenging to create more complex characters, each of whom can be relatable for the audience, given their circumstances.

On the whole, though this film doesn't have a very intricately build storyline, it will give something to remember to the viewer.

"You mean everything to me," Mirza tells his teenage daughter Nisha. Apparently "everything" is far less important than what others might say, for Mirza cares deeply about such opinions. When it is discovered that Nisha sneaks out the window at night, adopts Western ways and is not the compliant and traditional Pakistani daughter she appears, Mirza goes ballistic. Nisha is as stubborn as her father though and manages to outsmart him at first, but there is little sympathy from other relatives. They encourage Mirza's firm hand. Nisha's smart phone is chucked into the snow, freedoms are drastically curtailed and Nisha is threatened with a one-way ticket to Islamabad. Sooner or later father or daughter, or both, must break.

I thought I knew where this film was going, but it went deeper than I thought it would and in different directions. The story is fantastic and thrilling; dead ends become glimmers of light (and the other way around), characters are torn apart by the choices they make and there are intriguing glimpses into the Norse and Pakistani ways of life. The director is a natural. She controls mood like a sorceress; sound is contrasted with silence, close-ups reveal the glimmer of flames in the eyes of characters and scenes flow seamlessly into each other. The acting is not flawless, but thoroughly convincing. The ending scene will stay with me, hopefully forever. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Some Pakistanis would vociferously scream that the portrayal of Pakistani culture and norms is blatantly exaggerated here. Well, let me tell you. It isnt. Pakistani parents, including those who live abroad are willing to sacrifice and kill their daughters if there need be for the sake of their honour. The typical middle class man's obsession with his daughters chastity is certainly not exaggerated. The film beautifully captures the diaspora, the claustrophobia and the contradictory nature of Nisha's life. The last scene in which her fathers reflection stares at us is brilliant. But some things are sure exaggerated. I donot know if those stem out of ignorance or a desire to appease the "white audience" with their saviour complex. I do not know if they tried to portray Islamabad or Quetta in the movie-if it was Islamabad then it was obviously very wrongly portrayed. It is a fully developed urban city with internet connection. Same with Quetta. One does not need to run to far off stores in search of internet! Also who in their right minds would make out in a street in Pakistan unless you live in Defence or something? I mean maybe the police can react the way they did in the movie but thats rare and pertaining to the special circumstance that both the people are very young and from a familiar area. I can understand this because I am a Pakistani but one might make a lot of assumptions if they arent. Moreover, everything that Nisha went through was very very traumatic. Her grief and sanity still seems pretty intact for someone who went through a lifetime of trauma. Still very willing to please her parents. Or maybe thats my peronal opinion. All that aside, donot sit without grabbing a tissue paper because this is a highly unsettling movie.

My Rating : 6/10

Some viewers find the movie exaggerated and perhaps not real but I think the movie does a good job in exploring the relationship between immigrant parents and their children who have assimilated in the Western culture and don't have the same belief system as their parents.

All of the cliches shown are indeed the exact thought processes of immigrant parents unfortunately. An underrated film, put together with care and an eye for detail and depth.

I had the chance of seeing this movie screening in Bergen, Norway in Bergen International Film Festival, on 2nd Oct 2017. I had seen the trailer before and went with a bit of expectation. The movie exceeded my expectations with much difference. The debutante Mariah Mozdah is phenomenal portraying the daughter of a Pakistani family settled in Norway. She is torn apart between to cultures, the socially progressive Norway life and also her traditional family at home. Adil Hussain portrays the role of a doting father who values the societal norms and acceptance of his community very much. All of his thoughts comes under fire when he finds his daughter's white boyfriend. He decides to send his daughter to Pakistan, to his relatives, to discipline her and teach her their culture. Both Mariah and Adil have invested a lot of efforts into their performance. And the direction by Iram Haq really forces us to question and protest all the societal norms that we fear and surrender ourselves to knowingly and unknowingly. A must watch.

I am from middle east ( Iran ) and understand the seriousness of unallowed sexual behaviour, but , I still think there is exagaration on the level of violance and cruelty against a little girl ... while family might be harsh with girls, at the same time, they highly support and guard their honor (specially female members of the family , mother , sister ...). Unlesse people from Pakistan confirm that the story can be true in Pakistan only !!

A lot of non asian people think this is outrageous which it is but millions of kids are still kept this way, millions of kids in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan including me suffer from a lot of abuse and do you all know what's the sad part this girls parents would be counted as the good ones some like mind would've beheaded me and gotten away with it... went of topic there but in short this is more of a documentary than a film and maybe labeled as "boring"

Thanks for reading my review have a good day.

The Norwegian film Hva vil folk si (2017) was shown in the United States with the title "What will people say." It was written and directed by the Norwegian-Pakistani director Iram Haq.

Maria Mozhdah plays Nisha. She's a teenager who has grown up in Norway. She lives with her parents and her older brother. Nisha clearly is integrated into her Scandinavian culture, but the rest of her family is not.

They appear to have no interest in Norway or Norwegians. Everything for them revolves around the other members of the Pakistani community. "What will people say" is the most important question for them.

Because Nisha doesn't conform, she is punished severely. It's amazing that this narrative film is actually based on events that happened to director Iram Haq.

In Bend it like Beckham, we have a comedy based on cultural clashes within an Indian family in England. This movie isn't like that. Cultural obedience becomes a literal matter of life and death.

Hva vil folk si is a grim, powerful film. Maria Mozhdah is a superb actor and she makes Nisha come to life. The movie wouldn't work with a less talented actor as the protagonist.

We saw this film at Rochester's outstanding Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum. It will work well enough on the small screen. I highly recommend it.

Just watched this very interesting and well produced movie but still it disappointed me to a certain extent. Here's a short comment on the movie. I started watching this movie very late at night and regretted my decision of watching it because I knew I had to leave it in the middle and watch the rest of it the next day. I couldn't wait to finish it as the story around the subject, film making and acting, everything is superb. The subject is great and has been tackled skilfully. The only problem with the movie is it's research about Pakistani culture.

• We don't have vegetable markets like it was shown in the movie. The markets here are very different.
• Word "videsh" is a Hindi word and it's not used in Urdu.
• In Punjab, pani puri is called gol gappay. Nobody serves gol gappas in a cup wrapped in aluminium foil. It's served in a clay pot.
• We don't use "thaali" made of steel for our food. People use ceramic or plastic plates and bowls.
• The bus that they were traveling in Pakistan, I've only seen that bus in this movie.

Plus there are many such things which, honestly, can be easily ignored but again honestly, such things do make a difference. There's a difference between good job and extraordinary job... when the whole team is working so hard to present something great to the audience, then these apparently small issues do bother. You can produce an extraordinary movie when you have not overlooked such stuff. Anyway, overall I loved the movie hence my disappointment that it lacked proper research. I would like to mention that the ending was great!

I waited for some time for this movie to come on TV.. so when me and my wife saw it coming on TV we were super excited but coming from Pakistan I have to say the plot and portrayal felt weak and deeply flawed..

Now many would say that this negativity might be coming from being hurt by the narrative in the movie. I have to say that I was quite eager to watch the movie as it does touch upon a very integral part of our culture "what will people say?" so from the very beginning I was rooting for the film.. however 20 minutes in to the movie, I could not relate to the people cultural, geography and language in the movie as it is not Pakistani in it depiction.. being middle aged and having lived in Pakistan most of my life and then being in Scandinavia for the last 15 years I have lived both lives, so I would like to believe I have some cred to my claim.

The issue with the movie is that it wants the viewer to see this movie as to see it as more of a documentary rather that work of sci fi.. but in fact watching it from the eye of someone who knows and understand Pakistan this movie does a very poor job in representing Pakistani culture, language, regional nuances and behaviors.. its risks making an uninformed audience see Pakistan as a distorted version of Indian typecasting. Iram Haq may have used her Pakistani name to tout authenticity but I am afraid she does no different than any director from western cinema who has never been to Pakistan or has known people who live in Pakistan.

It could be a more believable film if it was depicting events in a fictional state like The Republic of Wadiya or the Kingdom of Genovia, but sadly Pakistan this is not..

High school age daughter, of Pakistani immigrant parents residing in Norway, is the fulcrum of cultural & religious prescripts concerning what behavior is acceptable for a young female. Daughter sneaks a male acquaintance into her bedroom in the family home (yes, dumb!). Dad catches them before it get's too involved. Like all conservative religions, notably Christian, Muslim, Jewish there are serious repercussions particularly for the loss of "face" & family honor within the community. Physicality as shown by the dad & others is a solution often found w/the less educated. The daughter is beaten then forced to leave school & live in Pakistan w/relatives where it continues. Death & forced marriage are presented as solutions. The only thing left out as possible solutions are acid disfigurements, and stoning. Her life's role, even expressed by female family members, is to have children, cook, obedience, and keep house. So well acted I thought I was watching a documentary. Heart wrenching, but could have been even more so. To those who think what was shown is quite rare within specific religions & nations they should look at the statistics on female abuse. Coincidentally today (Dec. '18), as I review this movie, on the BBC website was this story of the circumstances/outcomes surrounding a Pakistani marriage: "Did my children die because I married my cousin?"

This is a haunting story of a young woman seeking a balance between love for her family and her desire to live a normal life in her adopted country. In telling the story of Nisha, an immigrant walking the cultural tightrope between her Pakistani heritage and her home outside of Norway's capital, the film is a strong, unblinking statement about the imminent savagery still menacing women and girls who won't conform to the imported, conservative cultural values and behaviours their parents strive to maintain, amid the economic benefits they want from affluent liberal modernity.

This isnt an easy movie to watch.. i was so tempted to write bad about the plot but then i realised the reason i cringed so much is cus the lead actress is so beautifully intense!

I didn't expect this movie to get so under your skin. Incredible story and a great acting performance by Maria.