In Between [Audio: Arabic]

There are no easy resolutions here, but Hamoud makes clear that these women - troubled though they may be - will stand strong and defiant and together.

Although "In Between" depicts a nation in crisis, it's a crisis that's viewed through the intimate lens of family dinners, where generations struggle over conflicting values.

In Between highlights how difficult it will be to make substantive change in the world's most patriarchal societies.

There's a double meaning to the title of this intriguing and defiantly feminist film out of the Middle East.

An engaging, revelatory slice of life, In Between follows three Palestinian women in Tel Aviv - kind of a Sex and the City and Girls for the Arab set.

[A] sharp, wise and vibrant ode to female independence ...

Loose and funny, but with some startlingly bleak undercurrents, this is a story about three smart young women trying to be themselves in a society that piles on expectations.

An ode to... freedom, with an aftertaste of beer and cigarettes. [Full review in Spanish]

The result is engaging, lively and tough-minded enough to earn serious attention.

Hamoud's entirely live-action picture shows a society that allows women more freedom, but which only makes the pitfalls and hypocrisies stand out more.

... the film proves captivating as well as timely.

In Between is well crafted for a first film, and heralds a strong new voice in world cinema.