Film-making is both an art and a science. There are many female film-makers around the world now, though intially it was considered a male domain, more and more women are proving that they have it in them to shatter the glass ceiling and receive accolodates along the way. In the UAE, women are still taking baby steps in this profession. Meet Nayla Al Khaja, who is the most sought-after woman in the UAE film industry, and the very first woman film-maker and producer the nation has produced.
Recently she made waves at Cannes 2018 by being the first Emirati filmmaker ever to have a project accepted by the festival’s prestigious Producers’ Network. Her screenplay for Animal, the feature-length version of her own 2016 short film of the same name, beat competition from thousands of other entrants to become one of 500 entries submitted to the network.
She was born on March 7, 1978 in Dubai and is the first female film Director/Producer in the United Arab Emirates. She is the CEO of Nayla Al Khaja Films, a Dubai-based company previously named D-Seven Motion Pictures and is also founder of The Scene Club, Dubai’s first film club, launched in 2007. Previous to 2018, she was involved with only small projects and directing small films. In 2018, she ventured into directing her own feature film. This is a huge leap for her, personally, as well as for the women in UAE, of whom she is a representative.
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