Oscars giving a nod to Arab female filmmakers over the years

Oscars giving a nod to Arab female filmmakers over the years

At the inaugural ceremony in 1929 of the Academy Awards, the best director nominees for the Academy Award of Merit were all male. Lina Wertmüller was the first female director to be nominated, 48 years later. The Oscars have a long history of being called out for a lack of diversity. However, for over a decade now — this concern of inclusivity has been taken seriously by the organisers especially in times when the number of women working both behind and in front of the camera has reached historic highs. This was another high year as Academy Awards' nomination included two female Arab filmmakers, Tunisia's Kaouther Ben Hania who competed with The Man Who Sold His Skin in the international feature film category, and The Present, by Palestinian-British director Farah Nabulsi, in best live-action short film. There are seven women filmmakers from the Arab world who have received an Oscar nod to date. Looking back at the long journey of Oscars and the Academy giving a platform to Arab female filmmakers for their piece of work to reach out millions around the world: