Waad al-Kateab (She/Her)

Waad al-Kateab is a Syrian activist and award-winning filmmaker. She became a citizen journalist in 2011, after protests broke out across Syria against the Assad regime, and in January 2016 she began documenting the horrors of Aleppo for Channel 4 News in a series titled, “Inside Aleppo.” which received an International Emmy for breaking news coverage. Waad’s first feature documentary, For Sama, documented her life over five years in Aleppo. The film, co-directed with Edward Watts, received worldwide critical acclaim, winning numerous awards, including the Prix L'Œil d'or for best documentary at Cannes Film Festival, Best Documentary at the BAFTAs and a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the 2020 Academy Awards. Waad’s new film, We Dare To Dream, follows the steadfast journey of athletes in the Olympic Refugee Team. The film had its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023 and is set to premiere in the UK in November 2023, followed by a theatrical release. We Dare To Dream, commissioned by IOC for XTR, received the Grand Prize Documentary Award at the Heartland International Film Festival. Waad now lives in London with her family, and continues to run her advocacy campaign, Action For Sama, which aims to raise the voices of Syrians, awareness about the situation on ground, and seek accountability for the war crimes committed by the Syrian and Russian regimes. Waad has received several personal recognitions for her work as an activist and filmmaker, including the IDA Courage Under Fire Award and a place in the 2020 Time100 List of Most Influential People. In 2021, Waad was announced as the recipient of the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.