Sarah Goher Among Variety’s ‘10 Directors to Watch’ List

Egyptian-American filmmaker Sarah Goher has become the first Egyptian director included in Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” list.

Among the 10 emerging directors on Variety’s list are Kristen Stewart, Walter Thompson-Hernandez and Akinola Davies. Goher’s selection follows the runaway success of her debut feature film, Happy Birthday, a tender yet powerful story about class and longing, told through the eyes of an 8-year-old maid.

Goher co-wrote the script with Mohamed Diab; production is handled by Ahmed El Desouky, Ahmed Abbas, Ahmed Badawy, along with Hollywood-heavyweights Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner.

‘Happy Birthday’ premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, winning Best International Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay and the Nora Ephron Award for Outstanding Female Director.

The film was also Egypt’s official submission to the Oscars.