I am inspired by Mira Nair saying, “We must tell our own stories.” Growing up the Arab girl in a small town in Ohio led to many comic misunderstandings, but as I got older I came to appreciate living between two cultures and attempting to do so without going crazy. I am among many who live on the edge of culture. Very few of us had it figured out, but the joy was in the journey to find the balance and where we fit in, or more accurately, did not fit in. Through the universal truths of these experiences I hope people can laugh and quite possibly understand one another. The tone of the film is intimate, colourful, and humorous, weaving the dichotomy of being American from an Arab standpoint and Arab from an American standpoint. This is a timeless story of a woman creating herself, tripping the whole way, but landing on her feet.
Khsara is a word in Arabic that simply means “too bad” or “what a shame.” Culturally, it takes on a different meaning when referring to an unwed woman. Too bad, she is decent looking, educated, professional, from a good family. But if she is not married, she becomes a shame. Being an unwed Arab woman of a certain age inevitably leads to many questions and concerns. Non-Arab women seem to understand the same phenomenon; women of any race or culture understand that society views them differently if they are single. The key characters in the story find modern sensibilities in both Palestine and the U.S. just as they find traditional beliefs. Each character experiences what it feels like to not fit in where she was born; the main character born in the U.S. and her cousin born in Palestine. Both women flounder between Arab and American culture and eventually find the place that works best for themselves. After numerous mishaps and mismatches, Nisreen does not find a man, but she finds her own voice, her passion, and a new home. The theme is about modernity vs traditionalism not only in Arab countries but also in Arab communities. This universal conflict will resonate with audiences in every country adhering to the “act locally, think globally” school of thought. The only way to please everyone and reconcile two worlds is to create your own. This is a story about an Arab girl who doesn’t get married in time and perhaps never will.