Biography
Ghada Abdel Aal is a significant figure in the realm of Egyptian drama and literature — wielding her pen as a formidable weapon to illuminate the experiences of women in a society fraught with pressures and constraints.
Ghada embarked on her journey as a voice against the patriarchy two decades ago — one that is infused with a compelling sense of humor and a stirring passion — with the launch of her influential blog in August 2006 titled ‘AYZA ATGAWEZ’ (‘I WANT TO GET MARRIED’). The blog swiftly permeated the zeitgeist, captivating the hearts and minds of millions of women who face societal pressure to get married.
Her powerful quote, "I represent 15m girls from the ages of 25 to 35 who are pressured by society every day to get married, even though they are perfectly content with where they are in life," encapsulates the experiences of countless individuals.
Through her witty and clever writing style, she skillfully navigated the complexities of societal expectations, shedding light on the contradictions that women encounter in marriage, carving out a space where their voices could be heard and validated.
Building on the remarkable success of AYZA ATGAWEZ as a blog, in 2009, Abdel Aal transformed it into a book of the same name published by Dar El Shorouk. This transition marked a new chapter of success, as the book became one of the best-selling books, achieving widespread acclaim. It was subsequently translated into multiple languages, including English, Italian, German, Dutch, and French.
Following the triumph of the book, director Rami Imam adapted it to the small screen under the same name yet again. The show starred a cast of well-known stars, including Hend Sabry, Sawsan Badr, Ahmed Fouad Selim, and Caroline Khalil, achieving both public and critical success and winning the Golden Pyramid Award for Best Screenplay at the Cairo Arab Media Festival.
AYZA ATGAWEZ’s success didn’t end there, however, with Netflix approaching Abdel Aal years after the series’ conclusion to develop the script for a sequel helmed by Hadi El Bagoury titled ‘FINDING OLA,’ which achieved smashing success that upon its release, prompting the streaming giant to instantly green light a second season that is due for release sometime in 2024.
Aside from AYZA ATGAWEZ, Abdel Aal is known for a few other widely popular comedy titles, including Mariam Abou Ouf’s TV series EMBRATORYET MEEN? And Amr Salah’s laugh-out-loud film THE MOMMIES GROUP.
Abdel Aal has also participated in several writing programs and workshops, including, the Middle East Media Initiative, Television Writing and Development Workshop hosted by the Middle East Media Initiative at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, as well as the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. And, since 2010, she has conducted teaching and lecturing sessions on creative writing and screenwriting at numerous universities both in Egypt and abroad
