90
New York Magazine (Vulture) by Bilge Ebiri
Ultimately, this is a tale of a mother and daughter trapped in a cycle of yearning and despair. It’s a lovely, deeply affecting film.
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What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
63
Slant Magazine by Clayton Dillard
Elite Zexer weaves an impressively terse narrative of distinctly motivated characters, but the film’s core remains somewhat shapeless due to the routine dramatization.
67
The Film Stage by Daniel Schindel
While Zexer might not yet have a directorial voice, her story sense is sharp.
70
Screen International by David D'Arcy
Arab critics may lament that Israelis are telling their stories, but they won’t dispute the gritty reality on the screen.
80
The director juggles different points of view with aplomb, and her strong script addresses with impressive subtlety the gap between what people say and what they do under extreme pressure.
75
Rather than proposing solutions or envisioning a tight happy ending, Sand Storm lingers in the crevices of a fascinating cultural challenge.
63
RogerEbert.com by Godfrey Cheshire
It’s a fairly familiar critique of patriarchy from a humanist and feminist perspective, but one put across with some very impressive filmmaking skills by a first-time director.
70
The New York Times by Manohla Dargis
As a director, Ms. Zexer has a fine eye for the texture of daily life, which she fills in with resonant physical details and sweeping, scene-setting views.
75
Though its verité aesthetics are often more serviceable than inspired, and its vague who-what-where-when-why set-up neuters some of its lingering impact, the film’s depiction of entrenched prejudice remains astutely realized.
60
The Hollywood Reporter by Todd McCarthy
The lead performances have power, whereas pictorially the film is pretty rough and ordinary.