Heba Al Mansour, better known by her stage name Haifaa Al Mansour, is a Saudi Arabian film director and screenwriter. She is the first female filmmaker in Saudi Arabia and is known for her groundbreaking work promoting gender equality and women's rights.

Haifaa was born in 1974 in the city of Al Zulfi, located in the central region of Saudi Arabia. She grew up in a conservative Muslim family where girls were not encouraged to pursue careers in the arts or entertainment industry. Despite this, Haifaa was determined to follow her passion for filmmaking, and she began making short films with her siblings and friends at a young age. After completing her studies in literature at the American University in Cairo, Haifaa went on to earn a master's degree in directing from the University of Sydney in Australia. She then returned to Saudi Arabia, where she faced numerous challenges in pursuing her career as a filmmaker.

Women were not allowed to drive or travel without the permission of a male guardian, and public performances by women were strictly prohibited. Despite these obstacles, Haifaa continued to make films, often working in secret, and using her own personal funds to finance her projects. Her first feature-length film, "Wadjda," was released in 2012 and was the first feature film ever to be shot entirely in Saudi Arabia. The film tells the story of a young girl who dreams of owning a bicycle, despite the societal restrictions placed on women in Saudi Arabia. "Wadjda" was a critical and commercial success, receiving numerous awards and accolades at film festivals around the world. It was also a landmark moment for women in Saudi Arabia, as it was the first film to be directed by a woman and to feature a female protagonist. She was chosen to serve on the 2015 Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard jury.

Other notable movies she has directed include ‘A Storm in the Sky’ and ‘Nappily Ever After’, both of which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. In 2019, Haifaa won a Crystal Award at the 2019 meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos for her leadership in the cultural revolution in the Arab world. She is currently working on projects for Netflix.

Haifaa's work has been recognized both in Saudi Arabia and internationally, and she has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the film industry. She is also a vocal advocate for women's rights and has spoken out about the need for greater gender equality in Saudi Arabia and around the world.