Female filmmakers have dominated the Cannes Film Festival this year, providing us with stellar-quality movies that deserve some serious recognition. However, what is particularly noteworthy this year is the presence of Arab female filmmakers from the likes of countries such as Egypt and Tunisia.

Kaouther Ben Hania

The Tunisian director will be on the judging panel at this years Cannes Film Festival for the Short Films and the Cinefondation competitions running from July 16 – 17 this year. Famously known for her ‘Beauty and the dogs’ film, Kaouther Ben Hania’s most recent work ‘ The Man Who Sold His Skin’  was nominated for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.

farah nabulsi

 

BAFTA-winning British-Palestinian filmmaker and human rights advocate Farah Nabulsi, only started working in the film industry in 2015. Currently nominated for an Academy Award in the Live Action Short Film category. ‘The Present’ debuted on Netflix about a father and daughter in the Palestinian enclaves of the Israeli-occupied West Bank trying to buy a wedding anniversary gift.

mayye zayed

 

A Women of many creative talents Mayye Zayed originally from Alexandria Egypt, whose work has been screened in different film festivals all over the world. You can feel the buzz around Mayye and her current film ‘Lift Like a Girl’ which is about a ambitious teenage weightlifter trained on the street. A movie with a goal to inspire young women to pursue unconventional dreams, break stereotypes and essentially break the mould it is no wonder she scooped three awards at Cario’s 42nd International Film Festival.