Waterproof

The friends Khawla, Aisha and Rehab are plumbers, with Khawla being the founder and president of an NGO training women and promoting their work. In Jordan a man shouldn’t enter a woman’s house while her husband is away, whereas a female plumber poses no such threat. For the women themselves the job is a way to reach independence, certainly for Aisha, a widow with grown-up children, who looks forward to starting her own business. With her platinum blond hair and Western attire, Khawla projects the image of a powerful, self-reliant woman, but when she’s faced with corruption charges, that image starts to crumble. Aisha realizes it’s time to look out for herself, which also puts their friendship to the test. Shot in pale pastels that illustrate the ever-present drought, this drama plays out in the background of scenes of the women at work, enjoying themselves on a day out, or discussing life with refreshing independent-mindedness and humor - after all, girls just want to have fun. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)