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At a state-owned oil company in Cairo, two women geologists are prevented from going on site to the Sinai in order to apply their skills in the "for men only" oil exploration project. None of the objections raised are convincing to the two geologists. Su'ad Husni as Salwa delivers an impassioned speech avowing that women can perform any kind of labour as well as men and often much better. When two male applicants for the Sinai position arrive at company headquarters, Salwa and Hind (Nadia Lutfi) take their credentials and head for the Sinai. Upon arrival, Salwa and Hind are immediately attracted to two drilling technicians, Fawzi and his friend Ahmad. They must then control their sexual attraction and continue to act as men.
Lil-Rigal Faqat has one of the few portrayals of gay social life to be found in Arab cinema. When the two women in male drag first arrive at the Sinai work camp, they are taken to the barracks' mess where all the men gather to dance cheek to cheek to Western romantic music. The setting has all the appearances of a gay nightclub. The inevitable problem arises of who is going to lead (a little disguised reference to gay sex roles). Fawzi chooses Salwa as his dance partner. In negotiating who will lead, Salwa in drag protests, "I'm a man." Fawzi easily consents to being the "woman" and taking the passive role.
There are a series of unmaskings of the two women. The first occurs when a bedouin woman enters the barracks and, while making insistent sexual overtures to Salwa, is caught by a male relative with rifle in hand. Just as he is about to shoot, Salwa and Hind tear off their wigs and reveal their true gender. Later, both Fawzi and Ahmad find women's clothing in the closets of Hind and Salwa as well as the two women's identification cards. The gender confusion is set right; everyone is paired in the appropriate heterosexual couple; and finally with everyone standing in awe in front of an oil rig, it gushes forth oil in commercial quantities in none too subtle symbolism.
The title means For Men Only.
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