Najwa Najjar is a talented writer and director who has made a significant impact in the film industry since 2000. Holding a BA in Political Science and Economics, as well as an MA in Film/Video Production from the United States, Najjar has worked on both documentary and fiction projects throughout her career.
Her critically acclaimed debut feature film, Pomegranates and Myrrh, was released in 2009 and received widespread recognition. Najjar's second feature film, Eyes of a Thief, won numerous awards, including Best Director and Best Actor, and was the Palestinian nomination for the 2015 Oscars Best Foreign Film and the Golden Globe Awards.
Najjar's third feature film, a road trip: Between Heaven and Earth, was selected for the Official Competition at the Cairo International Film Festival and won the prestigious Naguib Mafouz award for Best Screenplay in 2019.
Prior to her feature films, Najjar worked on several award-winning short films, including Yasmine Tughani, Naim and Wadee'a, Quintessence of Oblivion, Blue Gold, A Boy Called Mohamad, and They Came from the East, which opened the 2004 European Academy Awards. Najjar also produced a collection of short films by international filmmakers titled Gaza Winter in 2009.
As a respected industry professional, Najjar has spoken on numerous panels regarding cinema and has served as a jury member for several international film festivals. She has recently given director's masterclasses at the Galway Film Festival and LuxFest. Najjar has also reviewed books and written articles on Palestinian cinema, and has been a reader for the Rawi Sundance Lab for Arab scriptwriters. Additionally, she has advised for the Rawi Sundance Scriptwriter's Lab and will be giving a directing class on set to refugees in Jordan interested in filmmaking.
