Haifaa al-Mansour

Directing

Born 1974-08-10 Al Zulfi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 21 credits Crystal Award 1

Awards

Won 1 Crystal Award Award

Crystal Award 1 won

2019 Crystal Award Won

Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature 1 nominated

2014 Best First Feature Nominated Wadjda

Award data from Wikidata (CC0). Coverage may be incomplete.

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Haifaa al-Mansour is the first female filmmaker in Saudi Arabia and is regarded as one of the most significant cinematic figures in the Kingdom. She finished her bachelor's degree in Literature at the American University in Cairo and completed a Master's degree in Directing and Film Studies from the University of Sydney. The success of her three short films, as well as the international acclaim of her award-winning 2005 documentary Women Without Shadows, influenced a whole new wave of Saudi filmmakers and made the issue of opening cinemas in the Kingdom a front-page discussion. Within the Kingdom her work is both praised and vilified for encouraging discussion on topics generally considered too taboo, like tolerance, the dangers of orthodoxy, and the need for Saudis to take a critical look at their traditional and restrictive culture.

Haifaa al-Mansour

Awards

Crystal Award 1 won

Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature 1 nominated

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