Rising Star Walid Chaya’s Short Film “Driving Ms. Saudi” Screens Worldwide

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Award-Winning Actor & Director Walid Chaya is a voice for the Arab community. Walid's short film "Driving Ms. Saudi" has screened at over 15 festivals worldwide, most recently in Dubai and Egypt.

Los Angeles based Actor-Director Walid Chaya is a rising star and voice for the Arab community creating content that empowers and entertains. His short film “Driving Ms. Saudi” is an Official Selection of two more film festivals, the Dubai Independent Film Festival and the Cairo Indie Shorts Festival where it is scheduled to screen this month.


Walid Chaya wrote, directed and starred in “Driving Ms. Saudi,” produced by Moonlit Wings Productions. He plays a son who helps his Saudi mother put her future in drive when she panics in the driver’s seat for the first time. The film is inspired by real events in Saudi Arabia where women were finally allowed to drive as of 2018.


This marks the second festival in Dubai to screen Walid Chaya’s film, the first was Dubai’s prestigious WOW Mid-East Film Fair where Walid took home a top prize, winning the “Best Comedy Short” category. Walid also won “Best Short Film” at the Asia South East Short Film Festival.


“Driving Ms. Saudi” has been an Official Selection at over fifteen prestigious festivals including the St. Louis International Film Festival where it was a Critics Pick on the list of “11 Must-See Movies” featured by the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Additional screenings include the Amsterdam Independent Film Festival, Richmond International Film Festival, Verona International Film Festival, Miami Independent Film Festival and Ocean City Film Festival, to name a few.


Walid has made appearances at many of these screenings worldwide and has spoken on industry panels with renown international filmmakers. The short film “Driving Ms. Saudi” is based on a stage sketch Walid wrote that premiered Off-Broadway in New York City at The People’s Improv Theater, the famous live-venue awarded “Best of Comedy” by Time Out New York and “Best Comedy Club” by The Village Voice.


Walid said, “I believe that as an Arab-American artist in Hollywood, it is my duty to bring these crucial stories to light. I found this film to be the perfect vehicle to put my skills in action and support the #women2drive movement.”


“Driving Ms. Saudi” will be considered for additional awards to be announced at the Cairo Indie Shorts Festival by the end of this month. Walid can also be seen in the upcoming feature film “Magic Hour” opposite Miriam Shor, in “Mad” opposite Tony-Nominee Suzanne Bertish and in an original feature currently in development.


For more information about Walid Chaya please visit https://walidchaya.com.

Release ID: 89000929