Faiza Ambah is an award-winning writer, director, and producer as well as a former Washington Post correspondent based in Saudi Arabia. Her directorial debut short film, Mariam won numerous international awards, was showcased at the Scottish Parliament, and is continually being screened at universities around the world. Ambah also co-produced Sanctity, which was in competition at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival; and Ave Maria, which was nominated for the Oscar at the Academy Awards in 2016 and was selected to compete at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in 2015.