About Saudi Women's Driving School (HBO)

"Saudi Women's Driving School" is a significant documentary that was released in 2019 by HBO. The film gives an insight into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was the last country in the world where women were not allowed to drive. The ban was ultimately lifted in 2018 and the documentary tracks the changes in the country following this monumental decision. Women from different backgrounds share their stories, all tied together by this newfound freedom of mobility.

Making / Production

Produced by Vanity Fair Studios for HBO, the driving force behind "Saudi Women's Driving School" is director Erica Gornall. She and her team navigate the landscape of post-ban Saudi Arabia, producing an intimate portrait of the women who are now finally allowed to take the wheel.

Actors

• This is a documentary film where real women share their real-life experiences and aspirations, hence there are no actors in the traditional sense.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• "Saudi Women's Driving School" was shot in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia.
• While women are now allowed to drive in the country, there were some who were arrested for campaigning for this right before the ban was officially lifted.
• This film is one of the few documentaries that provide an inside look at the lives of women in Saudi Arabia.

Quotes

• "Freedom doesn’t happen simply because you want it."– One of the women in the driving school.
• "I can decide where to go and when to go. I don't have to wait for a driver. I feel independent."– Another student in the driving school.

Music / Soundtrack

• As a documentary, the film primarily makes use of situational sounds and music to enhance the context and mentioning specific compositions or soundtracks is not available.