Still from 'Polarized'
Still from ‘Polarized’

Lisa is an aspiring singer from a conservative Christian family, while Dalia is from a successful Palestinian Muslim family and is engaged to be married.

After Lisa’s family loses their small farm, she begins working under Dalia at her family’s innovative “agri-farm”.

While racial, religious, and cultural tensions simmer, Lisa and Dalia become close.

As the women learn more about each other, they form an attraction that prompts them to consider what might be worth sacrificing in the journey to be themselves.

Polarized is a British-Canadian drama film premiered in 2023 at the BFI Flare Festival. It tells the story of Lisa, a young farm girl from rural Manitoba who falls in love with Dalia, a manager at an urban farm, despite their differences in race, religion, and sexuality. The film explores the themes of racism, intolerance, identity, and authenticity in a small-town setting.

LOTL speaks to writer-director Shamim Sarif: