Well acted and beautifully directed, the film has thoughtful pauses on the faces of the characters as they convey the story through their emotions and facial expressions. The action takes place in and around the family's village and almost exclusively in Suliman's compound. Suliman appears to love his family—his first wife and daughters—but, as others have mentioned, he is undone by what he thinks is the proper course. His wife and daughter are trying to tell him you don't "have" to do anything. The raw emotion of Layla sobbing as she realizes the sacrifice she must make to save her mother and her sisters is truly heartbreaking.