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Nayla Al Khaja

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Nayla Al Khaja
Nayla Al Khaja, Film Director/Producer.
Born (1978-03-07) March 7, 1978 (age 46)
Dubai
NationalityEmirati
OccupationDirector/Producer
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2017)​

(Arabic: نايلة الخاجة), born in Dubai on March 7, 1978, is the first female film Director/Producer[1][2] in the United Arab Emirates.[3] She is the CEO of Nayla Al Khaja Films, a Dubai-based company previously named D-Seven Motion Pictures, and is also founder of The Scene Club, Dubai’s first film club, launched in 2007. Al Khaja wrote, produced and directed several films, presented and awarded in international film festivals.[4] Since 2018, Al Khaja focuses on directing films. She is also a motivational speaker,[5] a cultural consultant and an influencer.

Beginnings

Holder of a degree in Mass Communication from Dubai Women's College, she graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor in Image Studies and Filmmaking from Ryerson University (Canada). Back to Dubai, she directed and produced the documentary Unveiling Dubai. Supported by H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE’s Minister of Higher Education, the film premiered at the 2006 Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and His Highness officially announced her as the first woman filmmaker in the UAE.[6]

Filmmaker

Paving the way for her career as a professional film director, Al Khaja shot several debut films as of 1993. Her first 8mm work was a film called Sweet Sixteen (1996). It was entirely shot in the deserts of Mirdif and was immediately followed by The Will (released in 2003), in collaboration with Tim Smythe, from the Dubai production company Filmworks. She experimented the documentary style with 3adi.com (1998), followed by two narratives, Cockroach (2004) and The Loss (2005). In 2006, Al Khaja wrote and directed her first commissioned short film, Arabana about child abuse (with the support of Unicef), which premiered at DIFF 2007. The same year, she was awarded the title of Best Emirati Filmmaker. She wrote and directed three more short films: Once (2009), Malal (2010) and The Neighbor (2013). Malal[7] received the Muhr Emirati Award at DIFF 2010 and The Neighbor was awarded Best Emirati Film at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Film Festival. In October 2016, she shot the pilot of her first feature film, Animal, nominated for the Muhr Emirati Awards at DIFF 2016. This short film received the Jury’s Special Prize for Best Short Fiction at the Italian Movie Award in Pompeii, Italy, in September 2017. Animal also received the Jury Award[8] in the “Narrative Film” category at the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival (UAE) in February 2018. Since 2017, Al Khaja is developing her first feature film, Animal,[9] and has been awarded an accreditation to present the project at the Producers Network during the Cannes Film Festival (France) in May 2018.[10]

Entrepreneur

Since inception, in 2005, Nayla Al Khaja’s production house, D-Seven Motion Pictures,[11][12] has been focusing on projects fully developed and produced locally.[13][14] Over the years, she produced in the UAE numerous promotional films and TV commercials for local and international brands, while mentoring young Arab talents.[15][16] In 2015, her company was hired by Discovery Studios for a TV show about Dubai Housewives. An American reality-show channel bought the rights for this show and D-Seven Motion Pictures line-produced its pilot, entirely shot in Dubai. The same year, the Dubai Film and TV Commission asked Al Khaja’s company to shoot a behind-the-scenes film for Star Trek Beyond to highlight Dubai as a regional filming hub. In parallel, her film club, The Scene Club (22,000 registered members), has been continuously presenting to the UAE audiences a wide selection of independent movies and award-winning films in their original format.[17] The year 2017 marked the 10th anniversary of the club. In 2017, to remain in line with Al Khaja’s expansion strategy and the changes in the film industry, globally and regionally, D-Seven Motion Pictures rebranded to Nayla Al Khaja Films.

Influencer

Since 2011, Nayla Al Khaja is Brand Ambassador for Canon Middle East.[18] She frequently travels abroad to speak in international keynotes about cinema, entrepreneurship, culture, youth motivation and women empowerment in the Middle East. She is also directing and producing digital content for social media channels and delivers daily live sessions on Instagram. Since October 2017, she directs and plays in her own YouTube web-series, #NaylaFlogs, where she shares with her followers her life as a filmmaker. Nayla Al Khaja is recognized for helping develop the UAE’s film industry[19][20] and advocating the role of women in cinema.[21][22] While she kept supporting and mentoring Middle Eastern talents, she became a reference for professionals in the region.[23] In 2018, Al Khaja has taken a strategic turn in her career, focusing on directing films, although she keeps delivering motivational speeches[24] on a regular basis, while being a thought leader, an influencer for brands and a Khaleeji Culture Consultant for production companies and clients in the public and private sectors.

Filmography (summary)

Sweet Sixteen (1996) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Genre: Short, Comedy | Synopsis: A little girl is obsessed with a song from Beautiful South. With her Egyptian friend, a belly dancer, she tries to steal a cow from a Pakistani neighbor and create her own music video, but things don’t go as planned.

3adi.com (1998) – Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Genre: Documentary | Theme: An in-depth look into the impact of e-commerce in Dubai metropolis.

The Will (2003) – Produced by Nayla Al Khaja | Director: Sharif Junaid | Genre: Documentary | Synopsis: A group of disabled persons decide to change their fate.

The Loss (2005) – Produced by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Shawn Reynolds, Shannon Paterson, Mackenzie Muldoon | Genre: Drama | Synopsis: Charlie Beamish is an emotionally-unstable shoe salesman who sees his life disintegrate following the loss of his hearing.

Unveiling Dubai (2005) – Produced & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Nayla Al Khaja, Nicolas Doldinger | Genre: Documentary | Synopsis: Life in Dubai as seen through the eyes of a first-time Western visitor, German filmmaker Nicolas Doldinger. Like many Westerners who have only read about 'the Middle East' in the newspapers, he expects to find little more that camels, oil wells, sand and strife, but finds that his perceptions are pleasantly inaccurate. The film demonstrates how cultural prejudices can vanish by the simple act of visiting another country and experiencing another culture.

Arabana (2006) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Feriyal Entezari | Genre: Short, Drama | Synopsis: Arabana is the story of a little girl neglected by her parents. It shows how she wanders off into the wilderness and mistakes attention from a stranger as love. It deals with the consequences of parents not being attentive to a child’s needs, highlighting an often-ignored topic.

Once (2009) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Nifin G. Al Din, Bassim Sami Al Khalif, Hammad B. Al Khalif | Genre: Short, Drama, Romance | Synopsis: The journey a young Emirati woman undertakes to go on a secret ‘taboo’ date with a young man she has never met in person.

Malal (2010) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Nayla Al Khaja, Hormuz Mehta, Ghassan Al Khateri | Genre: Short, Drama, Romance | Synopsis: Set in Kerala, India, the first Emirati production to shoot in the Indian state, Malal revolves around a young Emirati couple on their honeymoon. Their approach to a relationship and commitment to marriage is the theme of the film, providing a revealing and frank insight into the realities of arranged marriages and the challenges faced by modern-day Emirati couples.

Hi (2012) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Mona Al Assa’d, Sheree Framrose | Genre: Short, Drama | Synopsis: A simple story about how loneliness can be distinguished between two household roofs.

Three (2013) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Aya Al Ansari, Fatima Al Shroqi, Katrina Bernardo | Genre: Short, Drama, Horror | Synopsis: Khalid, an average 9-year old boy, whose behavior becomes increasingly hostile and aggressive toward his family. What's wrong with Khalid? Does he suffer from a personality disorder? If so, can it be controlled, or is it destined to escalate to a finale of tragic proportions?

The Neighbor (2013) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Crystal Bates | Genre: Short, Drama, Comedy | Synopsis: Sara has just moved to Dubai with the prospect of a fresh start, leaving behind a tragedy that has scarred her for life. The transition to her new world is not easy and she finds herself secluded and lonely, both at work and at home, until one night her neighbor knocks at the door. She is confronted by an elderly Emirati woman, visibly annoyed at her playing her piano during prayer time, yet not understanding a single of her words.

Animal (Pilot, 2016) – Written & Directed by Nayla Al Khaja | Cast: Mohammed Ahmed, Venetia Tiarks, Donya Asi, Abhijit Baruah | DOP: Michel Amathieu | Editor: Hanoz Navdar | Art Director: Pierrick Le Bourdiec | Genre: Drama (Pilot for feature film) | Synopsis: What happens when a seven-year-old child grows up in a home of contradictions; with a sociopath and narcissist father, a weak but ambitious mother, and a flamboyant cook?

Film Awards (summary)

  • Jury Award, “Narrative Film” category, for Animal, Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival, Ras-Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, 2018
  • Jury Special Prize, "Best Short Fiction", for Animal, Italian Movie Award, Pompeii, Italy, 2017
  • "Best Short Film" for The Neighbor, Middle East Now Festival, Florence, Italy, 2015
  • "Muhr Emirati - Special Jury Award" for The Neighbor, Dubai International Film Festival, 2015
  • Doha Film Institute (DFI), "Hazawi Fund for Short Film" Three, April 2013
  • "Production of the Year Award", Malal, Digital Studio Award, 2011
  • "1st Prize, Muhr Emirati Category" for Malal, Dubai International Film Festival, 2010
  • "Best Script Award" for Malal, Gulf International Film Festival, 2010
  • "1st Prize, International Young Screen Entrepreneur," British Council, UK and UAE, 2010
  • "1st Prize, Emirati Short Film Script Competition", Gulf Film Festival, UAE, 2010
  • "Best Female Filmmaker", Dubai International Film Festival, 2007

Accolades (summary)

  • "Entrepreneur of the Year", Gulf Business Awards, September 2017
  • "100 most powerful Arabs under 40", Arabian Business Power List, 2015
  • "Top Female Entrepreneur in The Middle East", August 2013
  • Recognized as "500 Most Powerful Arab People", 2012
  • "Top 50 Most Powerful Arab Women", 2012
  • "Visionary of the Year", Arabian Business Awards, 2011
  • Member of Abu Dhabi Film Commission, Melbourne International Film Festival, 2010
  • Endorser for Emirates NBD Bank
  • UAE Representative (Filmmaker Category), US Dept. of State, International Visitors Leadership Program, 2010
  • Jury member at the Middle East International Film Festival, 2009
  • Cultural guide and co-host on Paris Hilton’s “My BFF”
  • "UAE Woman of the Year", Film/Photo Category, L’Officiel Magazine, 2009
  • "Young Woman Entrepreneur of the Year", Middle East Businesswomen and Leaders Achievement Awards, 2007
  • "Inspirational Leadership Award", Lloyds TSB Bank, 2006
  • "Emirates Woman of the Year", Emirates Woman Magazine, 2005
  • "Local Artist of the Year", Emirates Woman Magazine, 2005
  • "The Youngest Entrepreneur", Global Businesswomen and Leaders’ Summit Awards, 2005

References

  1. ^ Grimley Evans, Piers (October 1, 2005). "Another day, another first". Gulf News. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  2. ^ Zafar, Rahilla (2014). Arab Women Rising "Nayla Al Khaja, a Filmmaker Seeks Support for the Burgeoning Emirati Movie Industry.". USA: Knowledge@Wharton (University of Pennsylvania). pp. 77–80. ISBN 978-1-62921-079-7.
  3. ^ "People in Film: Nayla Al Khaja". Doha Film Institute, Interview. July 26, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  4. ^ Thekkepat, Shiva Kumar (November 4, 2011). "Meet the UAE's first female film-maker". Gulf News. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  5. ^ Newbould, Chris (November 13, 2017). "UK/UAE Short Film Festival gets under way". The National. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  6. ^ Reporter, Staff (August 30, 2004). "Unveiling Dubai captivates all". Khaleej Times. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  7. ^ Kennedy, Philippa (August 15, 2010). "Against the Grain". The National. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  8. ^ Shaaban, Ahmed (March 3, 2018). "Curtains down on 6th RAK Fine Arts Festival". Khaleej Times. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  9. ^ Zakaria, Sherouk (September 17, 2017). "UAE's first female filmmaker gearing up for feature film". Khaleej Times. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  10. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (December 10, 2017). "Dubai Film Connection Announces Arab Projects Prizewinners of 2017 Edition". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  11. ^ Cherian, Vijaya (August 2, 2007). "Million Dollar dreams". Arabian Business. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  12. ^ Chudy (Associated Press), Jolanta (September 21, 2007). "Middle East film comes of age". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  13. ^ Zafar, Rahilla (January 4, 2013). "Nayla Al Khaja and UAE's Burgeoning Movie Industry". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  14. ^ Hoad, Phil (October 27, 2011). "UAE's film industry – all talk no action?". The Guardian. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  15. ^ Dubai Government, Press Release (May 12, 2016). "Dubai to showcase its thriving film industry and champion Arab talent at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival". Dubai Film and TV Commission. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  16. ^ Higher Colleges of Technology UAE, Press Release (November 21, 2011). "Emirati filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja passes on advice to ADMC students". HCT UAE. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  17. ^ Digital Studios Middle East, Press Release (May 30, 2017). "Nayla Al Khaja kicks off latest movie venture in Dubai". Digital Studios ME. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  18. ^ World cinema report, Press Release (August 29, 2017). "UAE Filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja: Ambassador on Emirati Women's Day". Cinema without Borders. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  19. ^ Collins, Madeleine (October 24, 2008). "The first lady of film". Arabian Business. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  20. ^ McGinley, Shane (December 10, 2011). "Arab Spring may spark boom in movie business". Arabian Business Lifestyle. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  21. ^ Nadja-Christina Schneider, Carola Richter (Hrsg.) (2015). New Media Configurations and Socio-Cultural Dynamics in Asia and the Arab World. "A relationship with benefits: Female filmmakers navigating government control in the United Arab Emirates" by Xenia Tabitha Gleissner. Germany: Auflage. pp. 260–285. ISBN 978-3-8487-1293-9.
  22. ^ Yunis, Alia (2014). Film as Nation Building: The UAE Goes into the Movie Business | Volume 3.2. Pittsburgh, USA: Zayed University. pp. 61–63. ISSN 2158-8724.
  23. ^ Dubai Film and TV Commission, Press Release (September 11, 2012). "Dubai's persistence starts to bear fruit". Dubai Government. Retrieved October 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  24. ^ Garden, Sarah (March 19, 2018). "The Dubai Mall Hosts Talks And Exhibitions For International Women's Month". Harper's Bazaar Arabia. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
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