Amel Guellaty
Directing
Biography
Amel Guellaty, born in 1988, is a Tunisian director, screenwriter and photographer. Following her law studies at the Sorbonne, she embarked on a career in cinema, initially serving as an assistant on notable feature films in France such as "Après Mai" by Olivier Assayas, "Foreign Body" by Raja Amari, and "La Blessure" by Abdellatif Kechiche. In 2017, she made her directorial debut with the short film "Black Mamba" (20 minutes), produced by Atlas Vision. "Black Mamba" garnered significant acclaim, being selected in over 60 international film festivals and winning 20 awards. It was subsequently acquired by Canal+ in France and Canal 5 in Italy. In 2022, Guellaty completed her second short film, Chitana (18 minutes), which was also showcased at various festivals and won several awards. she also directed an 8-minutes short film for "Mawjoudin" association about violence against the LGBTQIA+ community in Tunisia. In 2023, she began working on Where the Wind Comes From, her first feature film. The film had its world premiere on January 26, 2025, at the Sundance Film Festival, competing in the World Cinema Dramatic category. It was also showcased at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2025 and the Toronto International Film Festival Next Wave section. Amel also worked as a Commercial Director for prestigious brands in the Middle East, including Cartier, IWC, Montblanc, and Dior.
Known For
Alyssa, a rebellious 19 year-old girl, and her friend Mehdi — a shy and introverted 23-year-old young man — who use their imagination to escape their unpromising reality. When they discover a contest in the south of Tunisia that may allow them to flee for real, they decide to undertake the road trip regardless of the obstacles in their way.
Where the Wind Comes From
Whether it's a once in a lifetime television audition or a gruelling boxing competition, for these young women the chance to shine is sometimes worth the risk.
Girls Feels: Skin Deep
On the surface Sarra leads an average life, the one her mother has planned out for her: the young Tunisian is taking sewing classes and preparing for marriage to a young man. But deep inside she is concocting a plan to escape this life – as BLACK MAMBA
Black Mamba
Eya and Sofia, two sisters under the age of twelve, run away from their mother's house to play in the forest near her home. They get lost there, and experience scary adventures and poetic moments.