Nayla Al Khaja

Nayla Al Khaja (Arabic: نايلة الخاجة‎; born March 7 1978) is the first female screenwriter, director, and producer in the United Arab Emirates.

Early life and education Nayla Al Khaja was born on March 7 1978 and raised in Dubai. She earned a degree in mass communication from Dubai Women's College and completed a bachelor's degree in film studies at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) in Canada in 2005, supported by a UAE government scholarship.

Career AlI Khaja began her career creating short films. Her early works, such as Arabana (2006), Once, Malal, and The Shadow, have been featured and awarded at international film festivals. Both Animal (2016) and The Shadow (2019) were later acquired by Netflix, marking the first Emirati films to gain global streaming distribution.

Al Khaja's films Animal and The Shadow achieved international recognition when Netflix acquired their rights in September 2022, expanding her reach to a global audience.

Beyond her work in filmmaking, Nayla Al Khaja has contributed as a cultural consultant to projects across the Gulf region. She is registered as a speaker with the London Speaker Bureau and MENA Speakers. Al Khaja has delivered talks, including TED Talks, on topics such as Arab women in media, gender balance, working in male-dominated industries, entrepreneurship, and cultural representation. It premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December 2023 and was scheduled for theatrical release across the Gulf region in early 2024. The film stars British actor Jefferson Hall, alongside Emirati actors Saud Alzarooni, Faten Ahmed, Noura Alabed, and Maree Al Halyan. The film follows a family's quest to comprehend the unsettling behavior of their child, interpreted by some characters as possession. Al Khaja has described Three as a personal and cathartic project that functions as “healing and therapy,” composed of fragments drawn from real-life experiences.

Three had its world premiere on 5 December 2023 at the Red Sea International Film Festival. The film was released theatrically across the Middle East on 1 February 2024, with screenings in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman.

It also received a theatrical release in Türkiye, becoming the first Emirati feature film to achieve such a release.

Following its release, Three was featured at several international festivals, including the Al Ain International Film Festival in February 2024, where it won the Best Film Award. The story follows Wahida, haunted by her twin sister's death and drawn into a surreal journey through grief and memory amid the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah.

The film is co-written with prominent Emirati writer Masoud Amralla Al Ali. The film's original score was composed by A. R. Rahman, marking the renowned Indian composer's first collaboration on an Arabic-language feature film.

Nayla Al Khaja Films As the CEO of Al Khaja Films (formerly D-Seven Motion Pictures) since 2005, Nayla has played a role in local film production. Nayla has directed numerous TV commercials for international brands, including Mercedes, Nike, Nestlé, Neutrogena, and Nivea, among others, along with notable clients like Annie Leibovitz and Roger Federer. Additionally, she served as the Behind-The-Scenes Director on the mega-budget film Star Trek 3, appointed by the Dubai Government.

Filmography Feature films + Filmography Year Title Notes 2023 Three 2025Baab

Short films +YearTitleCredited asNotes Director WriterProducer 1996 Sweet Sixteen 1998 3adi.com 2003 The Will 2005 The Loss 2005 Unveiling Dubai 2006 Arabana Best Female Filmmaker – Dubai International Film Festival, 2007 2009 Once 2010 Malal Production of the Year – Digital Studio Award, 2011; 1st prize, Muhr Emirati Category – Dubai International Film Festival, 2010; Best Script – Gulf International Film Festival, 2010; 1st prize, International Young Screen Entrepreneur – British Council, 2010; 1st prize, Emirati Short Film Script Competition – Gulf Film Festival, 2010 2012 Hi 2013 Three Hazawi Fund for Short Film – Doha Film Institute, 2013 2013 The Neighbor Best Short Film – Middle East Now Festival, 2015; Muhr Emirate, Special Jury Award – Dubai International Film Festival, 2015; Best Emirati Film – Abu Dhabi Film Festival, 2013 2016 Animal Best women's issue short – Madrid Arthouse Film Festival, 2022; Best Short Cinematography – Arthouse Festival of Beverly Hills, 2021; Jury Award, Narrative Film – Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival, 2018; Jury Special Prize, Best Short Fiction – Italian Movie Award, 2017 2019 The Shadow Best Cinematography in Short – Dubai Independent Film Festival, 2022; Best Horror Short – Arthouse Festival of Beverly Hills, 2021; Best Fantasy / Horror Short – WorldFest Houston, 2020; Best United Arab Emirates talent – Al Ain Film Festival, 2020 2022 The Road to Fulfilment Documentaries and Reports: Environment, Ecology and Sustainability, Silver Dolphin Award – Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards, 2023

Personal life Nayla is married to Christian Peter, a Swiss entrepreneur, with whom she has two children. Al Khaja is proficient in five languages and speaks on topics such as cinema, entrepreneurship, culture, youth motivation, and women's empowerment.

Awards and honors "Emirates Woman of the Year", Emirates Woman Magazine, 2005 "Local Artist of the Year", Emirates Woman Magazine, 2005 "Inspirational Leadership Award", Lloyds TSB Bank, 2006 "Young Woman Entrepreneur of the Year", Middle East Businesswomen and Leaders Achievement Awards, 2007 Jury member at the Middle East International Film Festival, 2009 Member of Abu Dhabi Film Commission, Melbourne International Film Festival, 2010 UAE representative (Filmmaker Category), US Dept. of State, International Visitors Leadership Program, 2010 Jury member with Freida Pinto in Dubai International Film Festival, 2011 "Visionary of the Year", Arabian Business Awards, 2011 Jury member at Topic Fest with Nadine Labaki, 2011 Recognized as "500 Most Powerful Arab People", 2012 "Top 50 Most Powerful Arab Women" Arabian Business, 2012 "100 most powerful Arabs under 40, #48", Arabian Business Power List, 2015 Diff 2017: IWC Filmmaker Award shortlist "Entrepreneur of the Year", Gulf Business Awards, September 2017 "First Emirati to be awarded a seat at the Producers Network at the Cannes Film Festival", for the feature script Animal, 2018 "Most Admired Leaders of Asia 2018 - Process Evaluators & Research", BARC Asia & Jury Panel, 2018 "Top four Emirati women listed in Forbes", September 2019 Businesswoman of the Year - Gulf Business Awards 2020 Top 50 most powerful personalities in Arab Cinema 2021 WIFT MENA Excellency in Cinema Honorary Award, Women in Film and TV take the spotlight at the 6th META Cinema Forum, 2023 14 Successful Emirati Women Who Continue to Help Build the UAE, Vogue Middle East, August 2023 Breaking This Bias - Women Leaders Summit & Awards 2023 Best Feature Film at the 2024 Al Ain Film Festival for Three Best Narrative Feature – Winner, Berlin Women Cinema Festival (2025) The Glitz Catalysts 2025 – Honoree (for her work as the UAE's first female filmmaker) Best Director – Nominee, Berlin Women Cinema Festival (2025) Black Swan Style Icon Award – Winner (April 2025)