In this new episode of Unwritten+ Seriencamp Conference Special, Irina Ignatiew speaks with Samya Hafsaoui—a Dutch-Moroccan filmmaker, writer, cultural critic, and the kind of multi-hyphenate who doesn’t wait for permission—she builds her own stage.
Her debut feature is a smart, funny, deeply personal story about ADHD, fan culture, and the pressure to finish what you start—even when your brain has other plans. She’s building it from scratch: writing the screenplay, a companion novel, and a stage play. Why? Because this story matters—especially for young women of color who rarely see themselves, or their struggles, on screen.
She’s also proof that “taste freeze” is real—those teenage comfort films never let go. (Princess Diaries 2, The Devil Wears Prada, High School Musical—the rewatch game is strong, and intentional.)
But Samya isn’t just creating. She’s rethinking the whole machine:
💸 Posters in bus stops? Or paying your crew a living wage? Easy choice.
🎥 Don’t fake relatability—actually speak the audience’s language.
🔥 Art should kick something. Set something on fire. Heal something.
She’s not chasing permission. She’s building her own lane—and bringing her community with her, one radically honest TikTok at a time.
If you’ve ever felt like your work had to fit a box, Samya’s here to remind you:
Be cringe. Be excellent. Be unapologetically you.
How inspiring!
