PRESS:
"Meet Walid Chaya The Creator of ‘Driving Ms. Saudi’ International Award-Winning Film Supporting The #Women2Drive Movement"
Disrupt Magazine
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"Special Presentation of 'Driving Ms. Saudi' At Expo Dubai"
World Expo
Click Here To Watch The Expo Trailer
"Rising Star Walid Chaya’s Short Film “Driving Ms. Saudi” Screens Worldwide"
Associated Press
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"Walid Chaya is a voice for the Arab community"
FOX40 NEWS
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Arabic Feature
وليد شيا يسلط الضوء عالمياً على الإيجابيات في البلدان العربية
Asharq Al-Awsat
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Arabic Feature
!ﺔﻴﺋﺎﻤﻨﻴﺴﻟﺍ نﻮﻨﻔﻟﺍ ﻲﻓ ﺔﻴﻤﻟﺎﻋ ﺰﺋﺍﻮﺟ ...ﺎـّﻴﺷ ﺪﻴﻟﻭ ﻲﻛﺮﻴﻣﻷﺍ ﻲﻧﺎﻨﺒﻠﻟﺍ
Zawaya Media
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“Driving Ms. Saudi” by Director and Actor Walid Chaya screened in Los Angeles as part of Marina del Rey Film Festival’s 2022 Line-Up"
Fox 28
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Arabic Radio Interview
وليد شيّا… مبدع لبناني في هوليوود
Voice of Lebanon 100.5 FM
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Arabic Radio Interview
Radio 2ME Australia
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Arabic Video Interview
الى لوس انجلوس مع وليد شيا.. مبدع لبناني في هوليوود
Kelna Bel Hawa Sawa
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"Lebanese Filmmaker’s Heartfelt Film About Saudi Women Driving Is Being Featured Worldwide"
The961
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Starring
Walid Chaya &
Barrie Adleberg
Director of Photography
Michael Cerisano
Associate Producer
Mauricio Marces
For special screenings or more information please email us.
SYNOPSIS:
As of 2018, women are finally allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. Inspired by this news, a son must help his Saudi mother put her future in drive when she panics in the driver's seat for the first time. #women2drive
This short film is based on a stage sketch that premiered in New York City Off-Broadway at The People’s Improv Theater, the famous live-venue awarded “Best of Comedy” by Time Out New York and “Best Comedy Club” by The Village Voice.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR/STAR:
Walid Chaya is a Middle Eastern actor, director and writer based in Los Angeles. He is known for his breakout film “Driving Ms. Saudi,” for which he won “Best Comedy Short” from Dubai's prestigious WOW Mid-East Film Fair and additional festivals worldwide, including a special presentation at the World Fair in 2022. Disrupt Magazine has called him a creative genius.
Walid can be seen on television in "Madam Secretary" (CBS), "Blacklist: Redemption" (NBC) and Hulu's "The Looming Tower" which is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning book, to name a few. He wrote, directed and starred in “Driving Ms. Saudi” inspired by the #women2drive movement and has several multicultural and gender-diverse projects in development.
Oscar-Winner Guy Nattiv directed Walid in A24's feature “Skin” and Walid performed opposite Tony-Nominee Suzanne Bertish in the feature "Mad?" He has two upcoming films, "Magic Hour," alongside Miriam Shor, and “Slingshot” starring Chris Mulkey.
Born in Lebanon and raised in the USA, Walid speaks both Arabic and English. He earned his B.F.A. in Performance with honors from VCUarts, ranked the #1 public university school of arts by US News & World Report. After college, Walid worked on award-winning productions in NYC and DC for several years before relocating to LA.
Walid has directed New York and Regional shows including the Off-Broadway premieres of Law & Order: NRU (2017), We Are Monsters the Musical (2015) and the DC premiere of Disney's "High School Musical" Live on Stage (2008). Walid is a member of the Stage Directors Choreographer Society and an alumni of the American Theatre Wing's, founder of the Tony® Awards, SpringBoardNYC directors program.
Moonlit Wings Productions, was founded by Walid Chaya in 2008 and recently voted "Best Arts Program'' by Washington Family Magazine. The company produces new works for the stage and screen that champion multicultural, gender-diverse and musical stories as well as educational performing arts programs for all ages.
In 2018, Walid expanded his work from NY/DC to LA, and soon after launched an educational division in California, known as Studio For Performing Arts LA, winner of the 2021 BroadwayWorld Regional Award for "Best Special Event" recognizing the “MENASA Diversity Showcase” directed by Walid Chaya. The studio’s professional training programs are geared to Walid’s speciality, "The Business of Acting In The Digital Age” and have helped hundreds of actors jumpstart their careers.
Walid was awarded the “Diversity Scholarship” from Upright Citizens Brigade LA for his work in original content, sketch comedy and improvisationW. Walid is also the CEO of Broadway in Beirut, enhancing the entertainment scene and production value in the Middle East.
Additionally, Walid produces and directs philanthropic events to support different organizations like the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and more. He was an associate producer for Disney's "The Happiest Millionaire" 50th Anniversary Benefit Concert, live at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre in NYC. The concert starred Multi-Tony Award nominees and celebrated screen actors Dana Ivey, Brad Oscar, Lesley Ann Warren and Joyce Bulifant, who reprised their roles from the movie.
As seen in the Associated Press, “Walid Chaya is a rising star and voice for the Arab community creating content that empowers and entertains.”