Ray Shehadeh is a Syrian American Muslim filmmaker, photographer and journalist born in Minneapolis and based in Los Angeles. Continuously motivated by the creation of art and storytelling, she highlights stories of marginalized communities, locals and creatives.

Ray explores themes of identity, nostalgia, place and time in her visual work— primarily shooting on analog film for its unique aesthetic and physical qualities. As a daughter of immigrant parents, her background informs the photographic and moving images she creates, reframing the first-generation immigrant experience.

Ray has BA degrees in Studies in Cinema and Media Culture, and Journalism at the University of Minnesota, class of 2023, and currently pursuing an MFA degree in Film & Television Production at the University of Southern California of Cinematic Art, class of 2026.

Her feature writing and photography has been published in the Walker Art Center’s publication Mn Artists. In addition, her journalistic videography and photography has been published in the Star Tribune and Minnesota Daily. Her film photography has been featured in the San Diego Museum of Art Artist Guild in its International Juried Online Exhibition for Spring 2023, as well as an honorable mention in the International Photography Awards 2023.

Contact: ray.shehadeh@gmail.com