Ruba Nadda (born 6 December 1972) is an Arab Canadian film director. She made several award-winning short films, including Lost Woman Story, Interstate Love Story, So Far Gone and Damascus Nights before writing and directing features I Always Come to You, Unsettled and Sabah. Her movie Cairo Time won the Best Canadian Feature Film award at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and was Best Reviewed Romance on Rotten Tomatoes for 2010. She is known for shooting feature films in very short time spans.
Frequently creates love stories between a Muslim and a non-Muslim
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Quote
1
[Inspiration for Cairo Time (2009)] My parents, when I was sixteen, took the family and I on a visit to Cairo, and it was just... I found the city to be magical. It was just beautiful, it was ancient, it had so much history, it left a visual imprint on my brain, and I thought I had to set a story in this beautiful, beautiful city.
2
[About Cairo Time (2009)] I keep saying that the movie is a luscious, serene, languid romance, and off-screen it looked like we were shooting an action movie.
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Fact
1
Is currently working on her next feature film Cairo Time set in Egypt with Daniel Iron and Simone Urdl as producers. [2006]
2
Shot Cairo Time on location in Cairo and the White Desert in only 25 days in 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
3
Was almost arrested by Egyptian police shooting 2nd unit with her DP and 2nd unit crew.
4
Her sister, Fadia, shot the behind the scenes documentary and helped 2nd AD.
5
Member of the International Grand jury at Karlovy Vary Film Festival 2005; along with Michael Radford and Ali MacGraw.
6
Went on to make Do Nothing, with one roll of film that then went on to show in over 400 film festivals around the world.
7
Was 24 when she came back from studying at NYU and made her first short film that never saw the light of day.
8
Shot Sabah in 20 days on location in Toronto, sometimes shooting in more than 3 downtown locations in one day.
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
This Life
2016
TV Series 3 episodes
Killjoys
2016
TV Series 1 episode
October Gale
2014
Inescapable
2012
Cairo Time
2009
Sabah
2005
Aadan
2004
Short
Unsettled
2001
I Would Suffer Cold Hands for You
2000
Short
Black September
2000
Short
Blue Turning Grey Over You
2000
Short
I Always Come to You
2000
Laila
1999
Short
Slut
1999
Short
Damascus Nights
1998
So Far Gone
1998
Short
The Wind Blows Towards Me Particularly
1998
Short
Do Nothing
1997
Short
Interstate Love Story
1997
Short
Wet Heat Drifts Through the Afternoon
1997
Short
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
October Gale
2014
Inescapable
2012
Cairo Time
2009
written by
Sabah
2005
Aadan
2004
Short written by
Unsettled
2001
I Would Suffer Cold Hands for You
2000
Short
Black September
2000
Short
Blue Turning Grey Over You
2000
Short
I Always Come to You
2000
Laila
1999
Short writer
Slut
1999
Short writer
Damascus Nights
1998
writer
So Far Gone
1998
Short writer
The Wind Blows Towards Me Particularly
1998
Short writer
Do Nothing
1997
Short
Interstate Love Story
1997
Short
Wet Heat Drifts Through the Afternoon
1997
Short
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Unsettled
2001
producer
I Would Suffer Cold Hands for You
2000
Short producer
Black September
2000
Short producer
Blue Turning Grey Over You
2000
Short producer
I Always Come to You
2000
producer
Laila
1999
Short producer
Slut
1999
Short producer
Damascus Nights
1998
producer
So Far Gone
1998
Short producer
The Wind Blows Towards Me Particularly
1998
Short producer
Do Nothing
1997
Short producer
Interstate Love Story
1997
Short producer
Wet Heat Drifts Through the Afternoon
1997
Short producer
Cinematographer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Unsettled
2001
I Would Suffer Cold Hands for You
2000
Short
Black September
2000
Short
Blue Turning Grey Over You
2000
Short
I Always Come to You
2000
Laila
1999
Short
Slut
1999
Short
Damascus Nights
1998
So Far Gone
1998
Short
The Wind Blows Towards Me Particularly
1998
Short
Do Nothing
1997
Short
Interstate Love Story
1997
Short
Wet Heat Drifts Through the Afternoon
1997
Short
Editor
Title
Year
Status
Character
I Would Suffer Cold Hands for You
2000
Short
Black September
2000
Short
Blue Turning Grey Over You
2000
Short
Laila
1999
Short
Slut
1999
Short
Damascus Nights
1998
So Far Gone
1998
Short
The Wind Blows Towards Me Particularly
1998
Short
Do Nothing
1997
Short
Interstate Love Story
1997
Short
Wet Heat Drifts Through the Afternoon
1997
Short
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
MSN Exclusives
2012
TV Series
Herself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2011
The Best Director Award
TheWIFTS Foundation International Visionary Awards
$400,000
