‘Because She Created’ shines spotlight on the next generation of women creators in the Arab world

Women have important stories to tell – their voices allow more people to feel seen on screen, bring more unique perspectives to life, and build a more inclusive industry.

But, there’s an opportunity to recognize and celebrate these voices more.

For a second year in a row, Netflix is bringing back the Because She Created space to the Red Sea Film International Festival and shining the spotlight on the next generation of talented women in the Arab world who are telling stories that haven’t been told before.

The impressive line-up includes Adwa Bader, Saudi-American multihyphenate, interdisciplinary artist and star of Netflix’s upcoming Saudi film, ‘NAGA’, internationally-acclaimed Saudi writer, performing artist, actor and director, Fatima AlBanaoui, who not only wrote but also made her directorial debut with upcoming Netflix film Basma, and Haya Abdelsalam who is the lead and creative producer behind Netflix’s popular Kuwaiti series Devil’s Advocate.

This year’s space not only celebrates these three incredible women, but also inspires new women creators to step forward into the spotlight, unleash their creativity and share their journey with others who follow.

The space is designed for visitors to experience the journey of each filmmaker, immerse themselves in their individual stories and outstanding work, learn more about the Because She Created Initiative and the work Netflix is doing to build the talent pipeline in the region, and celebrate their own creativity.

Nuha El Tayeb, Content Director, Middle East, Africa and Turkey at Netflix said: “Because She Created has and always will be an opportunity for us to showcase the storytelling prowess of the Arab world. Arab women have been telling incredible stories for decades, and we’re seeing more women tell stories that haven’t been told before. We want to do more to celebrate and amplify their voices, and inspire a new generation of women to fulfill their creative dreams.”

The Because She Created Initiative has been celebrating and supporting Arab women in filmmaking through various initiatives, training programs, content, and financial support since its launch in 2021. It continues Netflix’s commitment to working with both established and new voices in the Arab world to tell more layered and multidimensional stories already on the service,  like AlRawabi School for Girls, Finding Ola, The Exchange, Crashing Eid, and many others which hail from women.

The Because She Created space is located in the main hall at the Festival and is open to festival attendees from 1 December to 9 December. We look forward to seeing you there, and celebrating the remarkable female voices that are blazing new trails in film.