Maha Haj (Arabic: مها حاج; born in 1970) is an Israeli-born Palestinian

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

and screenwriter.

Life and career

Haj was born in Nazareth, Israel. She was educated in the Baptist Christian school in Nazareth, though both her parents were communist activists. Under her father's influence she began studying pharmacy science, but after year switched to literature, and completed her BA in English and Arabic literature at the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

, and her MA in language and literature at

Haifa University The University of Haifa ( he, אוניברסיטת חיפה Arabic: جامعة حيفا) is a university located on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. Founded in 1963, the University of Haifa received full academic accreditation in 1972, becoming Is ...

. She began working as a teacher, but was more interested in her art and writing, which she practiced in her free time. She began her cinematic career working as a set designer, script doctor, and art director on such films as

Elia Suleiman Elia Suleiman ( ar, إيليا سليمان, ; born 28 July 1960) is a Palestinian film director and actor of Rûm Greek Orthodox origin. He is best known for the 2002 film ''Divine Intervention'' ( ar, يد إلهية), a modern tragic comedy on ...

's ''

The Time That Remains ''The Time That Remains'' is a 2009 semi-biographical drama film written and directed by Palestinian director Elia Suleiman. The film stars Ali Suliman, Elia Suleiman, Saleh Bakri and Samar Qudha Tanus. It gives an account of the creation of the ...

'' (2009),

Ziad Doueiri Ziad Doueiri ( ar , زياد دويري ; born October 7, 1963) is a Lebanese film director, cinematographer and writer. He is best known for his award-winning films ''West Beirut'' (1998) and '' The Insult'' (2017), a film that was nominated a ...

's ''The Attack'' (2012); followed by Adi Adouan's ''Arabani'' (2014) and Rafael Najari's ''Over the Hilltop'' (2014). In 2009, she wrote and directed the short film ''Burtuqal'', which was released to critical acclaim, and was screened at many international film festivals, and then the documentary film ''Within These Walls'' (2010). She achieved international recognition in 2016 with her film ''Personal'' ''Affairs'', which had its international premiere at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

, in the

Un Certain Regard (, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob. The section presents 20 films w ...

section. She both wrote and directed the film, which won Best Feature Film at the

Haifa International Film Festival The Haifa International Film Festival is an annual film festival that takes place every autumn (between late September and late October), during the week-long holiday of Sukkot, in Haifa, Israel. History The festival was inaugurated in 1983 and w ...

. In their reasoning, the judges wrote: "It is a creation that is entirely love of humankind, fluent and funny, captivating and kindhearted, a contemporary human mosaic, both local and universal." Haj detailed the difficulties, both logistically and emotionally, she faced getting public funding though the Israeli Film Fund (IFF) for her film ''Personal Affairs''. Then Israeli Minister of Culture

Limor Livnat Limor Livnat (; born 22 September 1950) is an Israeli former politician. She served as a member of the Knesset for Likud between 1992 and 2015, and was Minister of Communications, Minister of Education, and Minister of Culture & Sport. Biogr ...

established regulations that require any project receiving public funds to be presented as strictly an Israeli feature, not as a Palestinian-Israeli or Palestinian film, causing difficulties for filmmakers like Haj who want to highlight their Palestinian and/or dual identities. Ultimately, the IFF backed the project after Haj and her producer agreed to the terms to release the movie as an Israeli feature. In 2022, '' Mediterranean Fever'', which she wrote and directed, premiered at the

2022 Cannes Film Festival The 75th annual Cannes Film Festival is an upcoming film festival scheduled to take place from 17 to 28 May 2022. The festival will see a tribute to actor Tom Cruise, whose film '' Top Gun: Maverick'' is due to premiere at the festival. The off ...

within the

Un certain regard (, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob. The section presents 20 films w ...

section, and won the Prize for Best Screenplay.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

, - , 2016 , ''Personal Affairs'' , Best Film,

, , , - , 2016 , ''Personal Affairs'' ,

Caméra d'Or The Caméra d'Or ("''Golden Camera''") is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections (Official Selection, Directors' Fortnight or International Critics' Week The International ...

, , , - , 2016 , ''Personal Affairs'' , Best Film,

International Film Festival of India The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually, currently in the state of Goa, on the western coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common pla ...

, , , - , 2016 , ''Personal Affairs'' , Special Mention – International Feature Film,

Zurich Film Festival Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) is an annual film festival that has been held in Zürich, Switzerland, since 2005. The festival's main focus is to promote emerging filmmakers from all over the world. In three competition categories only first, second ...

, , , - , 2016 , ''Personal Affairs'' , Golden Eye – Best International Feature Film,

, , , - , 2016 , ''Personal Affairs'' , Critics' Award,

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

Film Festival , , , - , 2016 , ''Personal Affairs'' , Best Debut Feature,

Philadelphia Film Festival The Philadelphia Film Festival is a film festival founded by the Philadelphia Film Society held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The annual festival is held at various theater venues throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area. Overview The annual f ...

, , , - , 2022 , '' Mediterranean Fever'' , Un Certain Regard Best Screenplay Prize,

, ,

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Haj, Maha Israeli women film directors Israeli female screenwriters 1970 births Living people Israeli film directors Arab-Israeli film directors People from Nazareth Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni University of Haifa alumni