Ahd Kamel

Ahd Hassan Kamel is an actress and filmmaker from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She is known for her role in the BAFTA-nominated film, Wadjda and for her role as Fatima in BBC Two's Collateral (2018).

Education and Career Kamel grew up in Saudi Arabia and moved to New York City in 1998. She received a BFA in Animation & Communication from Parsons School of Design in 2004 and a Directing degree from the New York Film Academy in 2005. Kamel then went on to study acting under the personal tutelage of William Esper at the William Esper Studio.

As an Actor, Ahd has featured in numerous films and TV series, including a starring role in the 2014 BAFTA-nominated film Wadjda, and roles in productions for BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and MBC.

Kamel has written, directed and acted in her two award-winning short films, The Shoemaker ‘Al-Gondorji’ (2009) and Sanctity ‘Hurma’ (2012).

The themes of these films explore women issues in Saudi Arabia. As Hurma explores a widowed woman's attempts to save her unborn baby with limited means. The film was a selection of the Berlin International Film Festival.

Ahd wrote and directed her award-winning feature film 'My Driver and I, which debuted at the 2024 Red Sea International Film Festival. Inspired by her childhood, the film unfolds against the backdrop of Jeddah in the 1980s and ’90s and traces the relationship of a rebellious girl and her Sudanese chauffeur.

Ahd received the Red Sea Honoree Award at the 2025 Red Sea International Film Festival.

Filmography CINEMA Year Film Role Notes 2006 Razan Razan 2009 The Shoemaker Nidal Writer/Director 2010 The Imperialists Are Still Alive! Iraqi woman 2011 Yara with the Long Blond Braid Mother 2012 Wadjda Miss Hussa 2013 Sanctity Areej Writer/Director 2013 Djinn Um Al Duwais Voice role 2014 From A to B Rana 2015 Rattle the Cage Wafa 2018 Run(a)Way Arab Halima 2019 Being Agent Costa 2022 All the Old Knives Laila Maroof 2024 My Driver and I Writer/Director

TELEVISION

Year Series Role Notes 2018 Collateral Fatima Asif 2019 The Rook Samira 2020 Honour Diana Nammi 2022 Ramy Hanan 2023–24 Concordia Fatemah

Awards and nominations NOMINATED – Muhr Arab Award (The Shoemaker), Dubai International Film Festival, 2009 WINNER - GOLDEN ALEPH for Best Short (The Shoemaker), Beirut International Film Festival, 2010 WINNER – 2nd Prize, (The Shoemaker), Gulf Film Festival, Dubai, 2010 WINNER - JURY AWARD (The Shoemaker), Oran Film Festival, Oran, Algeria 2010 WINNER - Development Award (Sanctity) Doha Tribeca Film Festival, 2012 NOMINATED – Golden Bear for Best Short (Sanctity) Berlinale 2013 WINNER – 2nd Prize (Sanctity), Gulf Film Festival, Dubai, 2013 WINNER - Best Feature Film (My Driver and I), 11th Saudi Film Festival, 2025 WINNER - Feature Film Competition (My Driver and I), Sharjah Intl. Film Festival for Children and Youth 2025 SPECIAL MENTION - Feature Film Competition (My Driver and I), Rotterdam Arab Film Festival 2025 RED SEA HONOREE AWARD, Red Sea International Film Festival 2025

Festival selections The Shoemaker 2010 Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival /France 2010 Brussels Short Film Festival 2010 Women in Film/Canada 2010 Festival Amal/Spain 2010 Abu Dhabi International Film Festival 2010 Arab Film Festival, San Francisco 2010 Women in Film, Seattle 2010 International Film Festival Bratislava/Slovak Republic 2010 Ljubljana International Film Festival 2010 Berlin Interfilm International Short Film Festival 2010 Kettupäivät Short Film Festival, Helsinki 2010 Karama Human Rights Film Festival, Amman

Sanctity 2013 Sarajevo Film Festival Shorts Program 2013 Berlinale Shorts Program

My Driver and I 2024 Red Sea International Film Festival 2025 International Arab Film Festival Zurich, Switzerland 2025 Diriyah Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 Saudi Film Festival 2025 Beirut International Women's Film Festival 2025 Rotterdam Arab Film Festival 2025 Sharjah Intl. Film Festival for Children and Youth 2025