Maha Haj facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maha Haj مها حاج
Born	1970 (age 54–55) Nazareth, Israel
Citizenship	Israeli
Alma mater	Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Occupation	Film director and screenwriter

Maha Haj (Arabic: مها حاج; born in 1970) is a talented film director and screenwriter. She was born in Nazareth, Israel, and is known for making movies that explore the lives of people.

Life and Career

Early Life and Education

Maha Haj was born in Nazareth, Israel. She went to a Christian school there. Her parents were active in politics, but Maha chose a different path. She first studied pharmacy science at university. However, after a year, she changed her mind. She decided to study literature instead. Maha earned her first degree in English and Arabic literature. She then got a master's degree in language and literature. After finishing her studies, she worked as a teacher. But her true passion was art and writing. She spent her free time working on creative projects.

Starting in Film

Maha Haj began her career in the film industry behind the scenes. She worked as a set designer. This means she helped create the look of the movie sets. She was also an art director, guiding the visual style of films. She helped with several movies, including The Time That Remains (2009) and The Attack (2012). She also worked on Arabani (2014) and Over the Hilltop (2014).

Directing Her Own Films

In 2009, Maha Haj wrote and directed her first short film. It was called Burtuqal. This film was very well-received. It was shown at many film festivals around the world. The next year, in 2010, she directed a documentary film. It was titled Within These Walls.

International Recognition

Maha Haj gained international fame in 2016. This was with her film Personal Affairs. The movie was shown at the famous Cannes Film Festival. It was part of the Un Certain Regard section. Maha wrote and directed this film herself. Personal Affairs won the award for Best Feature Film. This happened at the Haifa International Film Festival. The judges praised the film. They called it "captivating and kindhearted." They also said it was a "human mosaic."

Challenges in Filmmaking

Maha Haj faced some challenges when making Personal Affairs. She needed public funding for her film. This funding came from the Israeli Film Fund. At the time, there were rules about how films could be presented. These rules made it difficult for filmmakers like Maha. She wanted to show her Palestinian and Israeli identity in her films. Eventually, the film fund supported her project. She and her producer agreed to release the movie as an Israeli feature.

Recent Works

In 2022, Maha Haj's film Mediterranean Fever premiered. It was also shown at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. This film won the Prize for Best Screenplay. This means it was recognized for its excellent writing. In 2024, a short film she directed, Upshot, won an award. It received the prize for short film at the El Gouna Film Festival.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Maha Haj para niños