Rana Abu Fraihah facts for kids

Rana Abu Fraiha (Arabic: رنا أبو فريحة, Hebrew: רנא אבו פריחה; born October 8, 1990) is an Israeli filmmaker. She makes documentary films and videos. Her most famous film is In Her Footsteps. This movie tells the story of her own family.

About Rana Abu Fraiha

Rana Abu Fraiha was born in Tel Sheva, Israel. Her mother, Rudaina, was an English teacher. Her father, Awda, was an engineer. He was the first Bedouin engineer in Israel. Rana has four brothers and sisters. Her sister Yasmeen is a doctor and helps people in her community. Her brother Ameer is very good at math and works in technology. Rana also loved math when she was younger. She even joined a special program for talented students at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev when she was in fifth grade.

Growing Up and Education

When Rana was five years old, her family moved. They moved to a nearby Jewish town called Omer. They were one of the first Bedouin families to live there. Her parents wanted their children to have good schools. Omer was mostly Jewish and very focused on its own culture. Growing up there was sometimes hard for Rana. She felt like she was part of the community but also an outsider. She later realized that this experience helped her understand different cultures.

Rana studied architecture first. Then, she decided to study documentary filmmaking. She went to the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. Today, she also helps young people. She works with the Looking Forward Association. This group helps talented young people from different areas get ready for college. They focus on film, TV, and art studies.

Her Film: In Her Footsteps

While she was studying, Rana still felt like she didn't quite belong. This feeling was similar to how she felt as a child. She started filming her family and her daily life. This helped her express her feelings. She didn't plan to become a filmmaker at first. But this activity became very important to her.

The Story Behind the Film

When Rana was 13, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mother fought the illness for many years. Rana knew her mother was very sick. So, she wanted to document her mother's life and their family. The film then changed its focus. It became about her mother's wish to be buried in Omer. Her mother had lived there for over 20 years.

A Special Challenge

In Israel, burial rules are based on religion. This means a Muslim person cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery. Rana's family faced a big challenge. They wanted her mother to be buried in the town she called home. This struggle was similar to Rana's own childhood feelings. She was part of the community but also an outsider. The film explores what it means to belong and the choices families make. Rana's father believed education was most important. Moving to Omer was for this reason.

Film Success and Awards

The film was released three years after her mother passed away. It first showed at the Jerusalem International Film Festival in 2017. There, it won an award for best directing. After that, it was shown in many cinemas. It was also screened in Arab and Bedouin communities. The film started many important discussions. Later, In Her Footsteps won more awards. These included the Best Documentary Award at the Berlin Jewish Film Festival. It also won the Shulamit Aloni Prize for Human Rights. And it received the Ophir Award for Best Documentary.

Other Works

• Zorouni (2014)
• My Land of Israel (student film, 2015)
• In Her Footsteps (2017)

Awards and Recognition

• 2018 Shulamit Aloni Prize, for In Her Footsteps
• "The Women Who Are Shaking Up Culture" list, Walla!, 2017
• Forbes "30 Under 30" list, 2019

See Also

• List of female film and television directors