Upon graduating from George Brown College's (GBC) Screenwriting & Narrative Design program, Fateema Al-Hamaydeh Miller embodied the spirit of a storyteller in perpetual motion. A theatre and English graduate with dreams of performance, she discovered her true passion during some of the most challenging times in recent memory.
"I always wanted to perform, but I hadn't quite found the path that felt the best," she reflects. The pandemic became her unexpected catalyst, transforming her creative journey through screenwriting – a medium that resonated with her artistic sensibilities.
A nuanced approach to rewriting representation
Al-Hamaydeh Miller's filmmaking philosophy is anything but conventional. Her work is distinctly "soft and subversive," committed to telling Palestinian and Arab stories that celebrate complexity, humour, and human truth. " I think that's an exciting thing about writing," she explains, " you get to envision a world that you haven't gotten to experience through media.”
Her approach challenges traditional narrative expectations. "When your stories haven't been told, and you’re a marginalized voice in the Canadian industry, there's a specific way you're supposed to tell them," Al-Hamaydeh Miller notes. "But the Palestinian spirit finds humour in everything—that's how people are able to survive. It's a way to take your agency back. Find room for laughter. Having all these different emotions existing is what makes you whole and prevents that kind of dehumanization.”
Navigating the sometimes-challenging Canadian film industry has yet to deter Al-Hamaydeh Miller. Instead, she has embraced a grassroots-style approach to storytelling. Crowdfunding her first short film, leveraging community support, and creating projects that challenge institutional barriers have become her trademark strategies through her production company, Khafeef Dam Productions. "Bigger institutions aren't truly inclusive," she says, "keeping it indie, you have a lot more room to express yourself as a writer.”
Finding her inclusive voice
The program at GBC’s School of Media and Performing Arts became a transformative journey, and despite the pandemic's constraints, she found connection and support. Pushing her beyond her comfort zone challenged her to develop skills across various writing formats. "I learned I could do more than I thought," Al-Hamaydeh Miller shares. "We wrote a pilot, a first draft of a feature, and an outline for a (one-hour) drama. I was really challenged to go outside of my comfort zone and produce pages."
With a feature film in development and a commitment to nuanced representation, Al-Hamaydeh Miller represents a new generation of filmmakers. She aims to create characters and stories not previously seen on screen, bridging cultural gaps through authentic, humour-infused narratives.
This innovative approach to storytelling is gaining attention. Al-Hamaydeh Miller has received an impressive lineup of accolades since graduation, including wins at the Reelout Queer Film + Video Festival and the Regent Park Film Festival for her short film EITR. Her most recent short, Mawtini (My Homeland), has garnered acclaim at various film festivals, such as the Red Nation International Film Festival, Silver Wave, Reelworld, and Cleveland and Boston Palestine Film Festivals.
"I feel proud of the trajectory my writing is on," she says. "I'm excited to keep digging deeper and expressing characters I haven't got to see on screen before."
Advice for emerging storytellers
Al-Hamaydeh Miller's message to aspiring filmmakers is unequivocal and inspiring. "Do it. Go for it," she encourages. "This work enriches your life and makes life so much more beautiful.” She emphasizes the power of personal storytelling, noting that authentic work attracts like-minded collaborators and creates meaningful artistic connections. "You attract people who are resonating with that story,” she shares, “And for me, that's such a beautiful form of connection because you're sharing this experience.”
As Al-Hamaydeh Miller continues to build her career, she remains committed to highlighting Palestinian and Arab representation with nuance and depth. Her journey from George Brown College to independent filmmaking demonstrates the power of creativity, persistence, and staying true to one's artistic vision.
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