What Walaa Wants

Raised in the largest refugee camp on the West Bank while her mother was in prison, Walaa dreams of being a policewoman, wearing a uniform, avoiding marriage and university, and earning a salary. Despite warnings that “no women should be in the army” and that she’ll bring shame on the family, she applies – and gets in. But her own rebellious behavior and a complicated relationship with her mother are a challenge, as are the circumstances under which she lives. Following Walaa from 15 to 21, this long-term observation with the exuberant energy of its subject, this look inside the Palestinian police academy, brings us the story about a young woman navigating formidable obstacles, learning which rules to break and follow, and disproving the negative predictions from her surroundings and the world at large.… >>>