Former model Farida Khelfa releases documentary on Arab women

Born in Lyon, Farida Khelfa is a French-Algerian jack-of-all-trades: after having partied at the Bains Douche and the Palace, after having walked the runway for Jean-Paul Gaultier and Azzedine Alaïa, she turned to cinema. First in front of the camera in flagship films such as Neuilly sa Mère or Les Keufs, she then moved to the other side to direct documentaries. Her greatest success, Louboutin, available on Arte, offers an intimate portrait of the great fashion designer and friend of Farida Khelfa.

Another speech on the veiled woman

On July 2, Farida Khelfa published on her Youtube channel a documentary entitled De l’autre côté du voile, in which she gives a voice to Arab women. Her objective is to deconstruct the stereotypes commonly conveyed in the West about these women, often due to their different clothing choices. These interviews propose another image of the veiled woman: the one that Arab women have chosen.

Her inspiration came from a trip she took as a model to Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, where she met many artists – designers, authors, directors – who deserve to be known.

A feminist cry

Farida Khelfa wants to prove that the veil is not an anti-feminist symbol and that those who wear it do not deserve to be considered less because of it. It is a real praise of the Arab woman and her choices.

She stated in a clip posted on her Instagram, “We are so closed to listening and hearing these women simply because they are not put on like we are and to not want to show them is really offending them. Not only are they beautiful, they’re smart, they’re brave, they do things, they express themselves, they take risks and really if that’s not feminism, I don’t know what is.”