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The Exam

Name: The Exam
Director: Shawkat Amin Korki
Released: 2021
Duration: 87 min

Representation Score

6.3/10

Good

2021

Director

Shawkat Amin Korki

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Exam is a character-driven drama that thrives on its specific cultural context and the active roles of its female protagonists. By focusing on Kurdish identity, the film offers a unique perspective that challenges the homogeneity of global cinema. The plot goes beyond academic conflicts to explore how systemic corruption affects individuals. While the film excels in representing Kurdish identity and empowering women, it does not include visible LGBTQ+ identities or characters with disabilities. The story remains focused on the sisters' fight against patriarchal and institutional barriers. Ultimately, the film stands as a critique of societal structures, using the pursuit of education to highlight the conflict between personal aspirations and rigid social norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Exam have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on the personal and academic struggles of the main characters without explicitly showing any non-straight relationships. The story revolves around the immediate social situations of the female protagonists.

How does The Exam portray gender?

Good

The story centers on the active role of women, particularly Rojin and Shilan, who navigate and challenge social structures to gain autonomy and intellectual freedom.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Exam?

Excellent

The film prominently features Kurdish representation, highlighting a non-Western ethnic minority perspective. It breaks away from mainstream cinema by focusing on a specific socio-political landscape.

How does The Exam represent religion and culture?

Good

The film examines the tension between traditional family structures and the pursuit of individual freedom through a critique of institutional corruption. It questions the integrity of institutions.

Does The Exam include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities mentioned in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Offers strong representation of Kurdish identity and non-Western perspectives.
Centers on the active roles of women and the disruption of traditional domestic roles.
Provides a critical look at systemic corruption and institutional integrity.

Limited or Absent

Could benefit from including LGBTQ+ identities.
Does not feature characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Rojin is a young Kurdish woman about to take the university entrance exam. Rojin's unhappily married older sister Shilan decides to help her pass at any cost, hoping to give her a more emancipated life. Thus, the sisters inevitably become entangled in a huge network of corruption that connects all parts of society.

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