SPOTLIGHT August 2022: Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Filmmaker and Cultural Activist

Haifaa Al Mansour has a vision and an aesthetic as a filmmaker, to be sure, and she’s bringing it to screens big and small. That’s important, but even more important is the impact she’s having on women around the world. She wants to be inspiring, and she has already proven herself to be as such. Haifaa Al Mansour is an advocate who stands up for women. She has a unique and passionate voice, and we are all lucky she chose to share it with us.

Read more

THE PERFECT CANDIDATE – Review by MaryAnn Johanson

A few years ago, Haifaa Al-Mansour made history with her Wadjda, a delightful tale of a little girl in Riyadh who really just desperately wants a bicycle. After a few detours into English-language, Western-set films, Al-Mansour returns home with The Perfect Candidate, about a young doctor who runs for her local Riyadh municipal council.

Read more