Kaouther Ben Hania was born in 1977 in Tunisia. She studied cinema in Tunisia (EDAC) then in Paris (Fémis and the Sorbonne). She directed several short films including Me, My Sister and the Thing (2006) and Wooden Hand (2013). Both films had a successful and long run on the international festival circuit. Her documentary film, Imams Go to School (2010), premiered at IDFA and was selected to play at many prestigious festivals. Her third feature and first fiction film, Beauty and the Dogs, was screened at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Her second feature film, Zainab Hates the Snow (2018), won the Golden Tanit at the 27th Carthage Film Festival.