A new wave of Arab female directors is fundamentally altering the landscape of regional cinema. They are claiming space in an industry that has historically offered few avenues for women to thrive. By presenting stories that have long gone untold, these filmmakers are challenging stereotypes and expanding the boundaries of Arab storytelling.
This shift was on full display at this year’s Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. At the event, 38 directors gathered to showcase their work. The festival highlights the Kingdom’s aggressive investment in the entertainment sector, a strategy aiming to transform the economy through film, gaming, and sports.
While the festival has drawn criticism from human rights groups regarding the country’s restrictions on expression, it has undeniably provided a platform for marginalized voices.
Four directors, in particular, stood out at this year’s festival. Each brought a unique perspective to themes of displacement, identity, and resilience.
Cherien Dabis: Narrating the Diaspora
Palestinian-American filmmaker Cherien Dabis premiered her latest work, All That’s Left of You. It is a sweeping multigenerational saga. The film traces one family’s survival from the 1948 Nakba—the mass displacement of Palestinians following the establishment of Israel—through to 2022.
“It tells the story of one family over three generations and how they survive the Nakba in 1948 and the ongoing occupation,” Dabis explained.
Born in the United States to Palestinian-Jordanian parents, Dabis was driven to filmmaking by the erasure she felt growing up in the West. The lack of authentic Arab representation, coupled with the racism her family encountered, fueled her desire to reclaim her narrative.
Despite working in the more established American industry, Dabis notes that female directors still face pressure. She often felt the need to adopt a “masculine” authority to command respect on set. However, her persistence paid off in Jeddah; All That’s Left of You won the Silver Yusr Feature Film award, securing a $30,000 prize.
Shahad Ameen: A Homegrown Vision
Saudi director Shahad Ameen has emerged as a critical voice within the Kingdom’s burgeoning film scene. Her latest feature, Hijra, was awarded the Yusr Jury Prize.
The film follows a grandmother and her two granddaughters on a pilgrimage from Taif to Mecca. The spiritual journey turns into a desperate search across the southern deserts when one of the granddaughters disappears.
Ameen attributes her career path to the dramatic historical television series of her youth. These shows sparked a desire for self-representation.
“I felt that as Arabs, we need to make our voices heard by ourselves, not have someone else speak on our behalf,” she said.
Reflecting on the rapid cultural shifts in Saudi Arabia, Ameen noted that the current infrastructure for filmmakers was unimaginable just a decade ago. However, she emphasized that the path remains arduous for women. It requires them to constantly re-prove their value to investors and audiences alike.
Amira Diab: From Finance to Film
The trajectory of Amira Diab is unconventional. She was formerly a financial professional in Manhattan. However, she pivoted to cinema after being profoundly moved by the Oscar-nominated film Omar, directed by Hany Abu-Assad. The two later married and became creative collaborators.
Diab studied production in Los Angeles and directed the short film As a Husband for Netflix. The project resonated with viewers for its depiction of the volatile emotional landscape in the Palestinian territories—where joy and mourning often exist side-by-side.
Her feature film, Wedding Rehearsal, was initially conceived as a Palestinian story. Eventually, it was set in Egypt to broaden its cultural scope. Despite her Hollywood background, Diab remains committed to centering women’s perspectives.
“Of course women see the world differently,” Diab said. “It just means that certain emotional details only women can fully bring to the screen.”
Zain Duraie: Breaking Stereotypes
For Jordanian filmmaker Zain Duraie, the obsession with cinema began at age ten. She watched Titanic not for the romance, but for the technical marvel of the sinking ship.
Duraie worked her way up from the bottom rungs of the industry. She hauled heavy equipment up mountains and ignored those who told her she didn’t belong.
“I worked in everything in filmmaking,” she recalled. “I wanted to learn it all.”
Her debut feature, Sink, premiered at the festival. It tackles the stigmatized issue of mental illness through the lens of a mother struggling to care for her son. Duraie focuses on the psychology of drama and aims to dismantle social taboos. While optimistic, she acknowledges that Arab cinema still has significant progress to make regarding true gender inclusion.
Armenian Dram
Ghana Cedi
Gambian Dalasi
Guinea Franc
Nigerian Naira
CFA Franc BEAC
