Hend Fakhroo

Hend Fakhroo? She’s basically a creative force with roots that stretch from Cairo to Qatar. Born in ’82 to a Qatari dad and Egyptian mom, she kind of had the arts in her DNA—her grandad’s Mohamed Tawfiq, the Egyptian acting legend, and her great aunt is Karima Mokhtar, so it’s no wonder she ended up telling stories for a living. She didn’t just stick to the Middle East either; she went all the way to Austin, Texas, for college, picking up a marketing degree (with honors, not too shabby). Don’t peg her as just a director—she’s dabbled in acting and producing too, but what really stands out is how she digs into the messiness of human relationships, especially from a Middle Eastern perspective. There’s a special focus on women’s experiences running through her work—she’s not afraid to go deep or uncomfortable. Her debut short, ‘His Name’ (2012), and follow-up, ‘The Waiting Room’ (2016), both did the rounds at film festivals. People noticed. She’s also got some pretty interesting projects bubbling up: she’s co-written a script for an American film with a cast that includes Oscar nominees. Not bad for someone who started small. Now, she’s gearing up for her first feature, ‘Behind Closed Doors.’ Safe to say, Fakhroo’s not slowing down anytime soon. She’s all about stories that stick with you, stuff that makes you think twice about your own life and the people around you.