Shahad Ameen

Shahad Ameen (Arabic: شهد أمين) is a Saudi filmmaker best known for directing the 2019 film Scales.

Early life and education

Ameen was born and raised in Jeddah. She attended the University of West London and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Video Production and Film Studies. In 2012, she participated in the screenwriting conservatory at the New York Film Academy.

Career

Ameen's first short film, Our Own Musical, was released in 2009. Leila's Window, her 2011 short film about a young girl's alienation from her family, screened at the Gulf Film Festival and the Saudi Film festival.

In 2013, Ameen's short film Eye & Mermaid debuted at the Dubai International Film Festival. Telling the story of a girl who learns the pearls her father brings their family have been taken from mermaids, the short also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and was recognized with the Best Cinematography award at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.

After completing the script for Eye & Mermaid, Ameen began work on her first feature-length project, also about mermaids. The resulting film, Scales, premiered at the International Critic's Week portion of the 76th Venice International Film Festival in 2019.

In May 2024, Variety reported that Ameen's second feature film, Hijra, was in production after years of development.

Filmography

Awards and nominations