Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Unidentified Premieres at TIFF, Concluding Her Saudi Women’s Rights Trilogy

Haifaa Al-Mansour, Saudi Arabia’s trailblazing filmmaker, premiered her new film Unidentified at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, marking the final entry in her acclaimed trilogy that spotlights the evolving roles and struggles of Saudi women.

A Bold Story of Murder and Agency

Unidentified opens with a chilling scene: a truck abandons the body of a teenage girl in the desert. From there, the narrative follows Noelle (Mila Al-Zahrani), a recently divorced woman who relocates to the city and works as a file clerk at a police station. When she becomes obsessed with solving the Jane Doe’s murder, her journey unfolds into a Saudi murder mystery, a rare genre exploration for the nation’s cinema.

Al-Mansour explained at the post-screening Q&A:

“It’s easier to get away with killing a woman. Sadly, society doesn’t care as much when a woman dies.”

This stark observation sets the tone for a story that doesn’t shy away from gender politics, danger, and cultural complexity.

Completing the Trilogy

Al-Mansour’s trilogy began with Wadjda (2013), about a girl fighting for the right to ride a bicycle, and continued with The Perfect Candidate (2019), which followed a young woman’s run for municipal office. Each film aligned with real-life reforms in Saudi society, from women’s driving rights to political participation.

With Unidentified, Al-Mansour moves into darker territory, presenting Saudi women as victims, rebels, professionals, and even villains — a spectrum rarely depicted on screen.

Performance and Themes

Mila Al-Zahrani delivers a nuanced performance as Noelle, using her gender to gain access to the victim’s social circles in ways male officers could not. Surrounded by diverse female characters — from rebellious teens to widows and entrepreneurs — Noelle’s story amplifies Al-Mansour’s vision of portraying Saudi women as multifaceted individuals with agency, flaws, and resilience.

The film also critiques societal apathy toward women’s deaths, positioning cinema as a vital tool for empathy and social reflection.

Critical Response

While some critics note that the suspense could have been heightened earlier, the film delivers a clever final twist and a resonant message. IndieWire graded the film B+, praising its ability to complicate flat depictions of Arab women and humanize their realities.

Release

Unidentified premiered at TIFF 2025 and will be released later by Sony Pictures Classics.