Soleen Yusef was born in Duhok, Iraq, and fled to Germany with her family at the age of nine. After graduating from high school in Berlin in 2005, she trained as a singer, actress and fashion seamstress. Yusef worked as an assistant at mîtosfilm before studying directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. Her third-year film “Trattoria” premiered at the Berlinale in 2012. Her debut feature “House Without Roof” (2015) was shot in her hometown. She has since gone on to direct for Netflix, Amazon and Disney+. In 2024, her children's film “Winners” premiered at the Berlinale.

House Without Roof (2016), Germany (2019), Sam- A Saxon (2023)