Ala'a Al Qaisi

Director’s Biography

Ala'a Al Qaisi is a Jordanian-Australian Writer-Director. The Royal Jordanian Royal Film Commission has selected Ala’a for its Debut Feature Program. The RFC is funding the upcoming production of The Day OF Arafah with $130K USD in addition to access to their camera Alexa mini and light equipment.

Ala’a also participated in the RFC Rawi Screenwriting Lab in 2018. The RFC assigned writing and directing mentors for Ala’a, where she has developed The Day of Arafah under the writing mentorship of the well-known filmmakers Annemarie Jacir “Wajib” “When I Saw You”, Karim Traidia “The Polish Bride” “The Ghandi Murder” and a Directing mentorship by Abu Bakr Shawky “Yomeddine/ Judgement Day, ”

The Day off Arafah has also got selected at El Gouna Film Festival Platform 2020 to compete for the Development Award where it won sponsorship and mentorship award from IeFTA which will be involved in the project from development to distribution.

Ala’a has received several awards for her screenwriting from The University of Jordan, The Hashemite University and The Jordan Language Centre.

Ala'a Al Qaisi moved to Australia in 2009. While there, she studied filmmaking at Sydney Film School and also studied acting at Actors Centre Australia. Ala’a worked on numerous short films there including two she directed: "Walk in My Shoes," and "Pink Swing." Both of these films were featured at the Sydney Film School Festival, where she was awarded The Sydney Film School Courage, Curiosity and Compassion Award in 2013.

Ala’a worked on a number of short and feature films in Australia in different position, as a writer, co-writer, Assistant director, camera assistant and editor.

Ala’a Al Qaisi recently returned to Jordan at the request of The Royal Jordanian Film Commission to develop and produce The Day of Arafah. She also has the pleasure of teaching at the RFC’s filmmaking workshops.

Alaa’s filmography:

SLAM / Partho Sen Gupta 2017 Camera Assistant/ actress

Dream/ Sam Ryan 2016 SBS Network/ Co-writer

Innocent Killer/ Jon-Claire Lee 2015
International Film Entertainment Festival Australia Mediterranean Film Festival Cannes Calcutta International Cult Film Festival/ 3rd Ac

When you left/ Katherine Henniker 2014 ABC Network / Co-writer

Memories of Jack/ Julia Diogo 2012 Sydney Film Festival/ Sound Recordist

Walk in My Shoes/ Ala'a Al Qaisi 2013

Sydney Film School Festival, Arab Council Australia, ICE, Riverwood Community Centre, SBS
Writer and Director

Anna/ Sara Glaoua 2013
Sydney Film Festival/ Camera Assistant

Pink Swing

Director: Ala'a Al Qaisi 2013
Sydney Film School Festival, Arab Council Australia, ICE, Riverwood Community Centre, SBS
This film was written by the Palestinian writer Ziyad Khaddash and the music was granted to the film by the global musician Naseer Shamma