After finishing high school, I immediately started working with my family’s media production company (Gabreez Production) and found my passion in filmmaking and photography. I gradually gained skills from my father and siblings and it enabled me to confidently direct and work on several vital productions in Yemen. I never stop learning and continue to gain up-to-date skills in the industry. I'm now the Communications Department and Post-Production Manager at the company.

What challenges you?

All Yemeni girls face endless challenges, starting from obtaining the simple right to a proper education to cultural restrictions that have limited the role of women in enjoying their basic rights.

As a woman filmmaker, the struggle usually starts from being in a men-dominated field of work where women are not that accepted and where their capacity and capabilities as filmmakers are undervalued.

If you manage to get past these struggles, you then must face the current reality of not being able to film outdoors and roam freely without being called names and getting degrading stares from passersby.

But despite the challenges impacting my ability to be creative, they also create make me stronger. I have the power to overcome the challenges and ensure that I am on track and keep up my productivity.

How did you overcome the challenge?

To overcome the very recent challenge of not being able to travel as a Yemeni, I had to be virtually present for work for over 12 hours a day to monitor the production phase of a large project. Unfortunately, some of my staff fell ill with COVID-19 and, to ensure the safety of the remaining staff, I hired new staff at the last minute to continue to deliver the project on time. It was by far the hardest project I managed the entire year. The pressures and anxiety levels were extremely high all the time, but fortunately I managed to overcome this and develop solutions to make the project a great success.

In a conservative society, challenges can be more serious for women – especially for the working ones. Fortunately, I have always had incredible support from my family who supported me during this time as well. They have been a protective fortress for me and have constantly helped me pave my own way, which pushes me to want to continuously achieve. 

What is your hope for the future?

My father and siblings are my role models. Their work has been featured at the international level and won international awards. I want to follow in their footsteps and go beyond to be a Yemeni woman filmmaker. 

Yemeni women should be given equal chances in the community and most importantly they should be offered the trust of their communities. Once women feel this trust, their internal and external level of confidence will surely enhance. If this support and trust are not granted for women from their families then they can never gain them from the community.  

My hope is to see pioneering Yemeni women and girls competing not only nationally but internationally in every field. The change begins from proper education which will lead to a supportive society and equal opportunities for girls.