Amal Aljohani

Life offers few moments that stop us in our tracks, flip our perspective upside down, and tear through our projection of the future. “I’m a cancer survivor” – words spoken by Saudi filmmaker and post-production professional Amal Aljohani. “I’ve seen life in black and white. Life and death become so real,” she continues, “So, why would I give up on my dreams?… If you have a rebel soul, you have to go for it.” The following is not a presentation of illness, nor recovery, but rather the story of a woman who refuses to settle for less than her dream of succeeding in the world of film. 

While going to school for a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, Amal took a filmmaking course; it was love at first sight. “I feel like it was written in the stars that I would be a filmmaker… it’s from my soul. It’s my calling,” Amal says. After graduation, she and her coworkers would sneak onto set to work on independent YouTube shows: “The time we spent together working on these projects really shaped us,” she says. Though she knew it was her passion, pursuing film was an unpredictable path. It was a widely shared perspective that the arts were “a hobby, but not a career.” Her fear of studying the field was, in large part, due to this narrative. However, it was the group of peers with whom she spent her spare time filming that gave her the courage to take the plunge. 

Bolstered by strong will and determination, Amal traveled to the UAE to take a course with the New York Film Academy. While there, she was interviewed on live TV. Back at home, her family proudly watched Amal explain that filmmaking was tethered to her; it’s a passion that makes her who she is. She spoke about the deep-rooted fulfilment that lies within truly being yourself; it would be a disservice to herself if she was not immersed in this work. Her words were moving, and after listening to them, her dad’s apprehension washed away – for the first time, he saw Amal’s dreams through her eyes. The life she was choosing for herself made sense. It was the green light she was looking for, and without further ado, she moved to the United States on a scholarship to pursue her master’s degree at the New York Film Academy, living one year in New York City and two years in Los Angeles. 

As she made strides towards honing her craft, Amal quickly gravitated to post-production. “It feels like magic,” she says. “I edit in my head first. I love to listen to the director. I love to try to absorb everything that they have in their heads. It makes me happy if I get to show them what they had in their minds.” She spends her days working for a media company while also creating her own anime show – exploring both nostalgic classics and modern anime. Additionally, she has edited videos for the first Saudi female aerospace engineer. The diverse, meaningful topics she gets to explore through her projects are just another reason why she loves what she does: “I don’t want to sell products. I want to sell ideas.” She’s able to create outside-of-the-box content that she’s proud to share with her audience.  

From a girl with a dream, to an admired member of the industry, Amal has come full circle. The purpose of the achievements she’s chased — the “why?” behind it all — washed over her as her father was in the hospital during his final days. “In one of his lucid moments, he looked at me and said: ‘That’s my daughter — the famous filmmaker.’”  

The power in the portfolio she’s made thus far is admirable, but more than that, her father’s words allude to the longevity of her presence in the creative world. Her aspirations are ever evolving. “One of my goals is to publish a novel,” Amal says. But wait, there’s even more! “My dream is to have female filmmakers come to me with their raw footage. [I’d] be privileged to just [bring] their vision into life. I’ve always wanted to give a voice to other women, and if I can do that visually, then I’ll be a very happy person.” Incredibly passionate and infectiously empowering, Amal will continue raising the bar. Her story is a remarkable reminder that life is short and unpredictable, and everyone deserves to fill themselves with the dreams that bring light to their day.  

Follow her journey on Instagram: @amalaljohani

Written by Sydney Leclerc