How Nayla Al Khaja broke into Hollywood as an Emirati woman

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ayla Al Khaja knows that film and storytelling can be more varied. As such, she became the first female film writer, director and producer in the United Arab Emirates. Becoming the first in 2023 can be daunting, but Al Khaja attributes her success to overcoming her fear through creativity. “I’ve spent my life following stories about my culture, and now it’s time for us to share our perspective,” Al Khaja told entertainment director Charlotte Kate during the Forbes 30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi last month. Bernie. “My challenge is not just being a woman. My challenge is being in a space that doesn’t acknowledge what I’m doing.”

Despite being a double minority in the global entertainment industry, honors for Al Khaja are not uncommon: she was named one of the 50 most influential people in Arab cinema and received Arabian Business Awards Visionary of the Year, to name a few. She wrote and directed a number of films, which were screened and won awards at several international film festivals.

Growing up, her family warned her against becoming a film producer. Being the UAE’s first female filmmaker and director means there are no other role models who can look and sound quite like her. With that, she also knows that telling her own dramatic personal story proves to be cathartic. Al Khaja had a tough life as a child, so she likes to tell real stories that reflect her “neurotic, dark and cold childhood”. These stories have a timeless connection to them, which is part of the reason her work has received such a positive reception in the Western film world. “I found myself a bridge between East and West, and you can see that in my films,” she said.

Now, her work has been selected by Oscar-winning directors and producers. her first feature film, three, It’s out later this year and can also be seen at this summer’s Cannes Film Festival.

Although the UAE is a relatively young country, Al Khaja has established herself as a female powerhouse in the industry, an achievement that has taken decades for female directors, even in the US.