Contents
Haifaa al-Mansour
Directing Wadjda, a Saudi girl’s pursuit of a bicycle and greater freedom.
Wadjda · Mary Shelley
- Born
- 10 August 1974
- Birthplace
- Saudi Arabia
More people
Haifaa al-Mansour
Haifaa al-Mansour brought everyday Saudi women’s experiences to international cinema, then expanded into English-language films and television.
Early life
Al-Hasa upbringing
Grew up in a large family whose father encouraged books, music and films.
Education
Studied comparative literature in Cairo and later film at the University of Sydney.
Career
- 2000s
Short films
Began with shorts before making the documentary Women Without Shadows.
- 2012
Feature debut
Wrote and directed Wadjda in Saudi Arabia.
- 2017–2019
Wider production
Made English-language films before returning to Saudi Arabia for The Perfect Candidate.
Selected work
Wadjda
A girl enters a Quran-recitation competition to buy a bicycle.
Mary Shelley
Dramatised the young writer’s life and the creation of Frankenstein.
The Perfect Candidate
A Saudi doctor runs for local office.
Beyond work
Festival jury
Served on the Un Certain Regard jury at Cannes in 2015.
Cultural recognition
Received a World Economic Forum Crystal Award in 2019.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Cannes: filmmaker biography ↗Photo: Quejaytee. CC BY 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
