Hala Khalil (born July 23, 1967) is an

Egyptian Egyptian describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of years of ...

film director, producer, and screenwriter. Her work includes

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

s, documentaries, TV series, and

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

s. Her films ''The Kite (1997)'' and ''The Best of Times (2004),'' have received awards from the

Arab Film Festival The Arab Film Festival (AFF) is the flagship program of the Arab Film and Media Institute (AFMI) a nonprofit organization that hosts the largest and longest-running independent Arab film festival in the United States. It is held in California each ...

, Rotterdam Arab Camera Festival, and the Rabat Film Festival. Khalil belongs to the new generation of Egyptian female commercial and

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...

makers that emerged in the first decade of the 21st century. The films of this period focus on the everyday lives of Egyptian women and their identity separation from men, functioning as an important part of

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

in Egypt.

Early life

Khalil was born in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...

, Egypt. After beginning her

post-secondary Tertiary education, also referred to as third-level, third-stage or post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including univers ...

education in engineering, she switched to the Cairo Film School, where she graduated in 1992 with a degree in filmmaking.

Career

After graduating from the Cairo Film School, Khalil made her debut as a filmmaker and screenwriter with the short film, ''Puppets'', in 1992. Her short film, ''The Kite (1997),'' was her first film to gain notable critical recognition. In 2004, she wrote and directed her first feature-length film, ''The Best of Times'', for which she received awards at the Arab Camera Festival, in

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, the Rabat Film Festival, and recognition from the Egyptian Film Critics' Association. Khalil also writes film reviews, and directs for the state television company. In addition to being a prominent Arab female short and feature filmmaker, Khalil is an executive producer has worked documentary films, and served on festival juries in Cairo, Ossian, Rotterdam, and Beirut.

Filmography

''The Best of Times''

In 2004, Khalil directed her first feature-length film, cowritten with Wassam Soliman. ''The Best of Times'' serves as an example of the themes of the new generation of female screenwriters and filmmakers in Egypt. The film follows Salma, a successful woman who is forced to move from her step-father's home following the death of her mother. The film takes place between the distinct neighbourhoods of Maadi and Shobra, as Salma embarks on an introspective journey to unearth who has been sending her anonymous letters. Khalil won second prize for ''The Best of Times'' at the Arab Camera Festival in

References

External links

''Arab Camera Festival''''International Festival of Auteur Cinema''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khalil, Hala 1967 births Living people Egyptian screenwriters Women screenwriters