Shear is a compelling film which presents an honest depiction of a girl caught between two worlds. Yasmin is a young woman who is excited by life, by alcohol and parties, and unfortunately by the things her parents disapprove of. Yet, to fit in with the party scene Yasmin abandons her religion and culture, having to endure Islamophobia from her ‘friends’ along the way. Upon falling in love with Arif, who seems to understand her plights completely, Yasmin must make an extremely hard decision and choose the life she wants to live. 

Shear perfectly shows us how difficult it can be for a young person to find balance between their culture and family, their friends, and the life they want to lead. From the clothing they wear to the music they listen to, Riyadh Haque presents a realistic illustration of the differences between the two social groups Yasmin belongs to. Through subtle symbolism Haque also does a wonderful job at illustrating how important Yasmin’s religion is to her, as she clutches onto her scarf for comfort at a moment of distress, whilst also maintaining that the strict rules her family lay out can often be stifling. With a charismatic lead in Céline Beran, you can’t help but feel a great amount of sympathy for Yasmin as she struggles to maintain the two lives she has built for herself and to find where she belongs.