Haifaa is not only the first female filmmaker from KSA, she’s by far the best-known Saudi filmmaker period after her 2012 Venice sensation WADJDA stormed the art-house world and grossed more than $7 million globally. Along with Hany Abu-Assad, she is among the only Arab filmmakers to be the directorial reins of a prestige English-language feature. True, her sumptuous MARY SHELLEY was not warmly embraced upon its world premiere at TIFF but she is already in post an American romantic comedy (NAPPILY EVER AFTER) and has another project in development (THE PERFECT CANDIDATE). As a board member of the newly-formed culture committee in KSA, Haifaa is in the catbird seat right now.