Nawaf Al Janahi is a film director born in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on February 7, 1977. His first feature-length film, The Circle, was described by critics as “a major turning point in Emirati and Gulf cinema.”

Released in 2011, his second feature film, Sea Shadow, reached second place in the UAE box office during its first week, then the largest cinema market in the Arab world, and later screened in 27 countries worldwide. Al Janahi is also the founder of several film initiatives, including Black Box Cinema and Cineolio.