Writer-director Shahad Ameen was born and raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Her short films include 2009’s “Our Own Musical” and 2011’s “Leila’s Window.” The latter screened at the Gulf Film Festival and was named Best Film at the Saudi Film Festival. Ameen’s 2013 short “Eye & Mermaid” premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival and went on to screen at several other fests around the world. It won First Prize in the Emirates Film Competition, Best Cinematography at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, and Best Fiction, International Competition at the NDU International Film Festival.

“Scales” will premiere at the 2019 Venice Film Festival on September 2.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

SA: “Scales” tells the story of Hayat, a young girl growing up in a village that sacrifices female children to mysterious sea creatures. When it’s Hayat’s time to be sacrificed, she rejects this reality and decides to find her own path.

The film was shot in Oman and is in black and white, creating a timeless environment for a story that addresses contemporary themes through magical realism. 

W&H: What drew you to this story?

SA: I have always wanted to explore the Gulf region and its varied cultures and stories. I also wanted to tell a story that is set in a magical world yet deals with real issues.

I stumbled on the story of the ancient Syrian goddess Atargatis, a strong mermaid who became my inspiration. It led me to the idea that independent women get cast away in traditional societies. After exploring this theme in my short film [“Eye & Mermaid”], I expanded upon it [in “Scales”], examining the role of women in society, and what happens when women choose to embrace different roles. 

W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?

SA: In Arabic, the name Hayat means life. It’s something that is called for throughout the film, right until the end.

I want the audience to relate to the main themes of the film: life and women’s roles within it. Although the film is set in the Arab world, this is a universal story that everyone can relate to. 

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

SA: The majority of the film is set at sea and shooting on the water and in boats is always tough, so there were logistical challenges to filming — but this was something that we were prepared for and gladly took on in pursuit of our creative vision. 

Finding the right actors for each of the roles was also a tough process. The pool of professionally trained actors in the Gulf region is limited because of the lack of drama schools. However, in the end, we assembled an impressive cast of very talented actors, including Basima Hajjar as young Hayat, and I am delighted with how they brought the characters I imagined to life.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

SA: I first made my short film “Eye & Mermaid,” which explored the same storyline and demonstrated my vision for what “Scales” could be. I had already been working on a feature-length script for the story, which was submitted for the IWC Filmmaker Award at the 2015 Dubai International Film Festival. It caught the attention of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, a leading media and entertainment company in the Middle East, who got in touch and were able to help bring it to fruition. 

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

SA: I had always wanted to be a writer, and I started making films when I was 10. After the regional media industry started to flourish and strong Arabic content appeared, particularly on TV, I began to see characters that looked like me on-screen, and I could see that becoming a director could be a viable opportunity — not just a pipe dream. This gave me something tangible to hook on to and my dreams became more realistic.

I started shooting Arabic period pieces with my friends with the intention of becoming a writer-director in the future.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

SA: Best advice: Trust in the process of making a film. 

Worst advice: Make something people want to watch. 

W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?

SA: I advise female directors to trust in their own, unique voices and know how valuable their perspectives are, particularly in today’s industry.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

SA: Jane Campion’s films are definitely on top of my list. Her strong, soulful female characters inspire me in her films. They are different from what we are used to seeing in mainstream cinema. I’m always fascinated by Campion’s incredible use of subtext since it leaves the audience with a certain ambiguity that grants a space for our own interpretations. 

Niki Caro’s “Whale Rider” was a huge inspiration for me while working on “Scales.” I had a massive appreciation for the strong female lead who dared to dream, who proved herself to society and became a heroine. 

I’m also a huge fan of Julie Delpy and her use of dialogue and her uniqueness in sharing her personal views to the world in a way that no other female directors have done before her. I feel that Delpy deals with the psyche of the contemporary woman in a very direct format.

W&H: What differences have you noticed in the industry since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements launched?

SA: For the first time in a long time, people are interested in listening to strong female voices and offering a platform to us. I think we’re seeing much more varied points of views, and we are seeing authentic, relatable female characters on-screen, which is a vitally important development. 

I think the movement has also been unifying. This isn’t a regional issue: it’s a global issue that affects women and men around the world equally.