Sharif Abdel Mawla was born and raised in Amsterdam and graduated from the University of Amsterdam with a bachelor’s degree in arts. Before he started his career as a director, he worked as an advertising creative and worked on several international brands. His first short film 7 Moroccans and Jos (2017) premiered at the 37th Netherlands Film Festival. His work got published on international video channels, platforms and magazines such as Nowness, i-D, Another Man, Fast Company and It’s Nice That. He was also acknowledged through several awards and honors, including a Webby Award, a Cannes Lion, and a Lovie Award.