About
Producer. Photographer. Scholar.
I produce films, write about cinema, and photograph the people who make it possible.
Maryam Sindi is a Saudi-American film producer, filmmaker, and film scholar whose work centers on Saudi cinema, cultural representation, and the infrastructures that shape emerging film industries. She holds an MA in Cinema and Media Studies from the University of Southern California, alongside the John H. Mitchell Graduate Certificate in the Business of Entertainment, and a BA in Media and Culture from the University of Amsterdam, where her thesis examined the "Arabia" effect in Hollywood.
Alongside her producing practice, Maryam has worked as a Teaching Assistant and Course Assistant in USC's Division of Cinema and Media Studies, supporting courses across film theory, media history, race and representation, fashion and media, and theatrical film. Across her work as a producer, scholar, and image-maker, she is committed to amplifying Saudi and Arab voices, supporting emerging filmmakers, and building platforms that enable more nuanced storytelling.
The Practice
Film Production
I produce narrative short films and documentary work, with a focus on Saudi and Arab cinema. Production, to me, is the art of creating the conditions for something true to happen — managing the logistics so the creative space stays open, unhurried, and alive.
Photography
I work as a photographer across a range of subjects — from BTS documentation on film sets to graduation portraits and nature. The thread across all of it is attention: looking carefully at people, places, and the quiet moments between action.
Research & Writing
My academic work examines Saudi cinema infrastructure, Arab representation, media industries, and the systems that allow stories to move from idea to screen — including the role of institutions in shaping post-9/11 Arab representation on the global stage.
