Angry Birds with my Baby Birds

Why so angry?

If you are anything like our family then you too might also know a couple of crazy birdies in your nest addicted to the insane slingshooting of colorful bird-balls onto green pigs villages. In our case, papa-bird and his graceful daughter spent hours perfecting their aim and demolishing pig homes. 

But why? Why so angry, little birdies?

Photo: R. Abouzeid

Well my happy-angry crew and I were lucky enough to be invited to the premiere of Angry Birds The Movie yesterday at Reel Cinemas in City Walk 2 and the answer to that question was finally revealed.

Photo: R. Abouzeid

The red carpet treatment is always a blast and we got to pose with the stars of the film which was the highlight of my five year old's day. And let me tell you, she is not easily pleased. If you own one of those at home, you probably know they have very particular opinions on things and events and they are not easily impressed. But we were greeted with essentials which made all the difference: a pair of sunglasses and a micro coloring kit (so cool). She was sold. I mean, who does not like a funky pair of glasses, right?

Photo: R. Abouzeid

And bonus for mommy, the formidable photo booth by Fishfayce which transforms regular snaps into brilliant little flip books!

Photo: R. Abouzeid

Photo: R. Abouzeid

Photo: R. Abouzeid

My talented daughter also seized the opportunity to release the artist within at the coloring tables which she categorically refused to leave before her chef-d'oeuvre was completed, not even to try face painting or Angry Birds Yoga which looked like so much fun. Seriously, those poses were brilliant!

Photo: R. Abouzeid

Armed with snacks and excitement, we entered the theater and took our seats. Pop corn, water and seat booster in places, we were ready.

Photo: TOH Public Relations

"The movie takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds – or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red (Jason Sudeikis, We're the Millers, Horrible Bosses), a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (Josh Gad in his first animated role since Frozen), and the volatile Bomb (Danny McBride, This is the End, Eastbound and Down) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to."

Photo: TOH Public Relations

Turns out, those birds are not just furious because of their unfortunate disproportionate eyebrows. They happen to have good reasons! 

No spoilers here, you will have to head to the cinemas on May 12 and find out what those reasons are for yourself!

Photo: TOH Public Relations

The kids had loads of fun and we all had great laughs. The script is funny and appeals to audiences of all ages with not only jokes for the grown-ups but also a soundtrack that will take you back in time with remixes of oldies and classics.

Photo: R. Abouzeid

Absolute bonus: the film is released in both English and Arabic and quite frankly, this is a refreshing change. Initiatives of the sort are a real need in the region and Arab audiences always welcome localized content. But so far, this has been very limited and mostly produced for television. Hopefully, more investments will follow that direction and bring Arab audiences the blockbusters they love in Arabic, simultaneously with the releases of original versions.

Photo: TOH Public Relations

Raya Abi Rached (Scoop With Raya, Arabs Got Talent), who features as the voice of Souka in the Arabic version (Mathilda in English), said: “It is hugely important to have these films localised. It happens in every big movie market in the world like Germany, France and Italy. They always have a localized performance for the local audience. This transformation will give Arab audiences a chance to engage more with the film alongside their English speaking counterparts.”

Mario Jr. Haddad, Vice President, Empire International Gulf adds: “Empire is honored to bring The Angry Birds Movie to the Middle-East in English and Arabic. We have made a strategic decision to invest in Arabic content and we believe that this is just the beginning of a major shift in the way that the local market consumes Hollywood made blockbusters,” he continued, “with more than 45% of the GCC population (excluding Saudi Arabia) being movie goers, there is a lot of room for growth and development.”

Photo: R. Abouzeid

About Rovio 
Rovio Entertainment Ltd. is a global entertainment media company. Headquartered in Finland and with studios across the world, Rovio is the creator of Angry Birds, the casual mobile game that changed an industry and became an international phenomenon. Today Angry Birds is not only the most downloaded game of all time, it is a renowned entertainment brand that has branched out into animation, books, licensing and more. The Angry Birds Movie is slated for release in the Middle-East on May 12th, 2016. www.rovio.com

About Sony Pictures Entertainment 
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo- based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Empire International Gulf
Established and headquartered in Beirut since 1919, Empire International is a leading movie distributor in the Middle East. The company is the exclusive distributor for Sony Pictures Releasing International, 20th Century Fox and Dreamworks Animation titles in the region.

Find this blog on Facebook

The Real Truth... On Dana and Lara

English

If you have been anywhere near a computer or a smart phone in the past few weeks, you probably already know about "The REAL Truth".

My own personal truth is, as an Arab (and more specifically an Arab woman) I have always felt cheated by Arab leadership. Our people are never heard and those who gain enough exposure use archaic (pathetic) and boring approaches to voice their causes (because it's usually their own causes although wrapped in a nice "for the people" package). 

We have become accustomed to the long - oh so terrifyingly long - speeches packed with overused and abused slogans and washed down with a cup of your finest propaganda (which, and this may come to you as a surprise, dear politicians, does not age well - it's propaganda, not wine).

Well, the disappointment ends here, folks:

All Hail The Women with brain, beauty and immaculate English accents!

Did you just see that? 

Did you just hear that?

These women rock!

Not because of their English proficiency which incidentally is an added value when talking to non-Arabs (no, we're not all bearded terrorists who speak like Bond villains and therefore must be evil). 

Unlike the usual  "no, that is not true, Israel is evil, look, they are killing our children" speech that we keep hearing and although true but never built on clear, intelligent argumentation; this video actually answers specific propaganda with wit and facts. Facts. Facts. Not just slogans and arab nationalism cheers. We are not robots who have been repeating the same thing decade after decade. We are human beings who have been fighting for our right to exist decade after decade. 

And they are women. Beautiful, intelligent, educated and well-read young women. Yes, it may sound like good PR to have a gorgeous face associated with the Palestinian cause, but mostly, to me, it is more than that. It shatters the stereotype that Arab women are submissive victims at the hands of their abusive men, societies and religions. We all know, far too well, that domestic and women abuse remain continuous problems worldwide (unfortunately). So for the West to patronize us about it, over and over again, depicting our Arab women as weak, uneducated and unable to fight for their own rights is simply laughable. Look at yourselves first. And look at our women. In the above video. Not all Arab women are that well-spoken and educated? True. Neither are all Western women. Or men for that matter.

Ok, clearly, I am a fan. 

And I could not resist contacting Dana Dajani and Lara Sawalha to find out more "The REAL Truth" and the brilliant people behind it.

So who are Dana and Lara?

Dana Dajani: My name is Dana Dajani, my father is Palestinian from Jerusalem and my mother’s parents are Syrian/Gazan. Born in Jordan, raised between the US and the Middle East, I studied theatre in the United States and received my bachelor’s of fine arts in Chicago. I moved to Dubai two and a half years ago to help promote the performing arts in the Middle East.

Lara Sawalha: My name is Lara Sawalha and I'm a professional actress by trade, trained at Italian Conti Academy of Performing Arts in London. My mother is British, but she likes to say she's as Arab as they come, even with her blonde hair and blue eyes, and my father is Jordanian. I am fortunate to have them both be in the arts.

Photo courtesy of Dana Dajani

How did you get into films? Was it your very first experience with that medium? 

LS: My mother is a writer and my father is an actor/director/writer, which is where I found my passion for all things dramatic. My first proper stage appearance was with my father performing a politically satirical play, which is his forte, when I was 17 and the road was paved from there. I've been working in theatre and film for a while, but this specific genre (the YouTube clip) is a first for me and hopefully not my last ;)

DD: My passion is theater but I started working on films in Chicago and have probably acted in over 30 short films. This film was my first time working on a white screen interacting with animation!

How did the two of you meet and have you collaborated on common projects in the past? 

DD: Lara and I met on set at Kharabeesh studios in Amman in April 2012. We had never known about each other, but we ended up working together on another project for Bath Bayakha soon after, and have plans to collaborate on more work soon!

Photo courtesy of Dana Dajani

Why did you feel the need to answer Danny Ayalon's ad? Israeli and Zionist Propaganda isn't a new phenomenon, so why now? What was it with Ayalon's ad that made you tick? 

DD: I saw the video when it first came out two years ago and thought, how can there be such straight-up propaganda disseminated in our day and age, as if it was regular creative content for consumption? But honestly, all it takes is a good script and a production team and you can make anything happen. It angered me but I knew that personally I didn’t have the resources to properly respond. Lara and I were lucky to be presented with a good, punchy script, and a willing team to make it happen, so the question became why not? If not now, when, and who?

LS: I hadn’t seen the video until I got approached with the script, and when I saw it she I compelled to answer. We were given a chance to present an alternative view and we stepped up to the challenge.

What was the goal behind this casting? I'm loving the fact that Ayalon is massively arrogant and pompous and instead of having someone of his "caliber" speak to him, you opted for the totally opposite and in turn managed to ridicule him even more. 

DD and LS: Often times the Palestinian resistance is mostly comprised of young men, and overall this whole conflict is plagued by men- “old men dreaming wars for young men to die in”. We added a feminine element, we spoke for the youth. And at the end of the day, it’s all about public appeal: here were two females talking, more or less, like men, a bit cheeky and totally confident. It worked.

Where was the video produced and why? 

DD: The script was written in Ramallah, Visualizing Palestine is an international company, and Kharabeesh is in Amman, Standub.com is based in Dubai. I was living in Dubai, Lara was living in Amman. So we all gathered in Amman to make the video over two days. We shot on a white screen in one of Kharabeesh’s studios, using a simple Mark D7 (I think). We had lapel mics, and we macygvered a sweet-ass teleprompter out of an ipad, a reflective piece of glass and a podium.

That sounds so cool! How long did the production take and what tools did you use? Can you tell me more about the technical crew behind the film and how they worked? 

DD: Lara and I performed pro bono, it was a passion project for everyone. I’m pretty sure the animators worked pro bono too, which is why it took a year and a half to edit. As for Kharabeesh post production tools and team.

Jamil at standub.com, who directed the piece insisted "My aim is to highlight the fact that the writing and research was done by VP and Standub and the execution by kharabeesh. It was a group effort.

The 'nuances' and comedy was thought of and directed by the people from these 3 companies. The cost is that of research, scripting, actors, filming in a studio with green screen, editing, and then seperately days and days of animation and fact checking.

The point is, although this was a collaboration, modern day technology means that all you people need is a camera with some lighting and a laptop to make it happen. The important part is a) making it factually correct and b) getting the 'tone' right with people who understand humour. And we were lucky to have that behind and in front of the camera in this case.

The elements that went into producing this video were thought through and intentional. We would like to encourage others to collaborate and answer fiction with fact".

Photo courtesy of Dana Dajani

Now the content is brilliant! Who was behind the research and the script? It is so well written, not crowded with information and yet informative enough to discredit Ayalon and any previously heard lie about Palestine or Israel. 

I believe the writer would like to remain anonymous. Here’s something he wrote:

"Let them not know who's behind it, which is what I would prefer, hence why I did not take credit. People fear what they don't know. I want the Israeli government to fear that there is a growing movement of young Palestinians ready to respond to their rubbish propaganda. In a recent report issued by an Israeli think tank, The Reut Institute, they concluded that the BDS movement was the greatest threat to the existence of Israel because it was not one body they could target. Rather, it was a loose coalition of individuals and organizations united by ideology with no commander-in-chief.

Ayalan's argument was that because a Palestinian nation did not exist, Israel did nothing illegal. That's like saying nothing illegal was done to native american's because they didn't have an official 20th century style "nation state". What we were essentially saying was that we didn't invent our identity homie - Palestinians, the identity of the people who lived on this land, always existed. Our self-determination - and Israel's denial of our self-determination - is not contingent on any past form of "nation" status. To quote Shakespeare "What is the city but the people?

Except we chose to say this in a different way. No one has ever responded to official Israeli government propaganda like this. We just upped the ante".

I love the fact that for once, Arabs (and women at that, the stereotyped gender of weakness and submission) with immaculate English address the Western world. We can agree that PR-wise, the Arab world hasn't done very well. This video is a fantastic respond to all of that. At one point, you make fun of Ayalon's English accent which to me is so funny because Israelis love to emphasize their "Western" side when talking to the West and of course, directly or indirectly make fun of Arab politicians, leaders and general people for being or sounding too "Arab", as if being Arab is a characteristic rather than an identity. And a ridiculous characteristic at that, a characteristic that they feel are entitled to mock because it inferior and a reflection of terrorism (if we are not all white, English speaking folks, then we must be terrorists). How and why did you decide to do the same by mimicking the Israeli accent and what were your goals? 

DD: Honestly, it wasn’t a planned malicious attack. I was getting carried away in the moment of talking. What we do for a living a living is PLAY, so we tried bringing the element of play to more serious content. I’ve honestly been getting a lot of flack from Israeli’s calling me racist. My response is this: check out my comedy on my youtube channel. I make fun of many accents. Watch any good stand up comedian, see how long they go before putting on a character accent. It was all in good fun. And besides, If you cant laugh at yourself, no one will take you seriously.

Photo courtesy of Dana Dajani

The video went viral in a matter of hours, and with good reason. I am also confident the "debate" online must be heating up. What was the response from the Western world. I guess the Arab and Israeli responses are pretty straight forward but I'm wondering how other parties are responding and viewing this? 

LS: Arabs love it, they send us lots of praise, “we’re proud of you, bterfa3o il ras”, for a while we were getting a lot of support mail. Some Israeli’s have reached out to tell us that we “cannot change the course of history”. They’ve also dedicated blog posts to bitching about this video and the comments are pretty hateful. There was a British Pakistani ex-Muslim pro Zionist who blasted me on twitter, and now she follows me.

DD: One blogger actually investigated us and went so far as to call me a “whore” because I am a model and “Hamas would disapprove of my photographs”. For a few days it was pretty stressful because all of my social media sites were being trolled by Israelis posting really hateful and disgusting things (“you’re an arab, this is what I think of you.” then posting a link of a Syrian girl being decapitated). I’ve also gotten responses from Americans, Spaniards, and people from the Netherlands, thanking us for making this video and opening their eyes.



If someone decides to poke at your video and its content, do you plan to retaliate? 

DD and LS: So there have been blog posts and a debunking video. Also someone has asked to do a response video for another film. I don’t know if the whole team will be involved. But we definitely want to keep up the energy now that this is out.



Your video has done tremendous good in spreading information that people tend to forget or don't even know. Do you plan on making more of these videos to educate the West about our issues? 

DD and LS: We would love to do another one, even in response to the rest of his videos. Because this is fresh, it’s the most commotion that’s happened about Palestine in a while. Usually it’s the daily article on something or other being destroyed. So we’d like to keep generating creative content about the causes dearest to our hearts.

Photo courtesy of Dana Dajani

Any final words to Ayalon? 

DD and LS: We’ll be back.

I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.  ~George McGovern

One determined person can make a significant difference; a small group of determined people can change the course of history. ~ Sonia Johnson



As you're about to click away from this site, don't forget, sharing is caring, so keep the momentum going and help spreading "The REAL Truth" all around you.

And stay tuned for more by Dana Dajani as she prepares to release her upcoming video:
Love Letters From Palestine
A Poem Filmed in Bethlehem   



Bookmarks:

• Dana Dajani Official Website
• Lara Sawalha on Facebook
• Dana Dajani on Facbeook
• Kharabeesh Official Website
• Standub Official Website
• Visualizing Palestine Official Website

Find this blog on Facebook

Twice Upon A Time

English

My friend Niam Itani will be celebrating her birthday soon. Why is it relevant to this blog? Well it is not really. But her wish-list at the moment includes only one gift: to have the opportunity to produce her upcoming film.

So I thought, what better way to celebrate the birth of a kind and talented soul than by supporting the birth of her wonderful project:

Source: Placeless Films

Placeless Films  أفلام بلا مكان  bring you Twice Upon A Time, A Documentary.

The cinema industry in Lebanon and the Arab world is usually brutal. Especially for young talents who do not have influential connections in the entertainment world, let alone those in the documentary field. Money does not come easy and yet, those films are how we can write our history. Our legacy. 

So why should we care?

Because although a little fun is always welcome, we have a responsibility to leave behind a trace. Something that speaks of our humanity, not only our surgically enhanced beautiful women or unbelievably brain-numbing (so-called) arts. 

How can you make a difference?

The internet is a fantastic medium because it connects people together in ways like we had never knew possible before. It is brilliant because it opens doors to infinite information and knowledge. And it is fantastic that way because people who want to make a difference can reach other people willing to help them and get the support they need to follow through and actually do something. 

This is how inspired independent filmmakers who wish to keep their integrity intact and tell their stories, genuine stories, are now reaching out to all of us. Through crowdfunding. 

You can now be part of the making of films you care about. How amazing is that?

What is Niam's story?

In her own words, "In 1989, my parents left Beirut for a small village in the Bekaa Valley called Ghazzeh. I was eight years old. In 2012, Khalil's mother left Syria and took refuge at our house in Ghazzeh. Khalil was ten years old. This film tells the story of my friendship with Khalil, and our efforts to find hope and joy in the midst of madness and despair. It is also a personal reflection on childhood, nostalgia, home, belonging, memory and war".

To find out more about the film and Niam, please follow this link. Trust me, you will not regret it.

And if you can, please help us tell the story of Niam and Khalil. Leave a trace with us. Donations can be made through that same site, and the smallest gesture is impactful. Even if it is to simply spread the word. So please do! And if you decide to be part of the film and donate, then that would simply be phenomenal and unbelievably generous!

This is one story Niam cannot wait to tell with you and to you.

So thank you for taking the time to read.
And thank you in advance for taking a moment to help.

Find this blog on Facebook

Teta, A Thousand Times... And One

English

A dark theater stage. At the center, a short flight of stairs and a woman at the top. A young man is giving her instructions on her posture, every movement and every gesture and most significantly, the way she should carry her imaginary violin.

Snapshot from Teta, Alf Marra by Mahmoud Kaabour

This is how I remember Mahmoud Kaabour. It was my first semester of Communication Arts at the Lebanese American University in Beirut. And outside of a few high school productions, this was the very first play I worked on. What a thrilling and exciting time! My first time in the theater, working on bringing a concept to life as part of the set construction crew. It was also when I met Milad Karkour, the beautiful and unforgettable soul and possibly the kindest, most dedicated person I have had the privilege of knowing. And of course Moalem Youssef, who has left an indelible mark in the hearts of all the students who passed by Irwin Hall and Gulbenkian Theater under his guidance and support. It was also on that stage that armed with a hammer and some nails, I met Maha Moussa, the accomplice of my university years and incontestably, the partner with whom I shared the LAU I know and made for myself. So it is no understatement when I say, my very first memory of theater at LAU and perhaps university in general is forever connected to Mahmoud Kaabour in some accidental, yet personally beautiful sort of way.

That is why this name brings back an overflow of emotions which I have to admit, prevented me from completing this post in a timely manner. But here I am now, not to take you on some walk down memory lane or talk about the past, but to introduce the genuine letter of love dedicated to the woman behind the man in the spotlight.

Mahmoud Kaabour may not be around to write it himself, but it is probably not a coincidence that fate would have his eldest grand-son, who out of all his descendants happens to also carry his name, speak for him. Like the ultimate extension of life. Passing on a name from one generation to the next, ensuring some sort of continuation, and ultimately some kind of immortality. After all in Lebanon, we do say "Those with offsprings never die".

But in the case of Mahmoud Kaabour Jr., this role seems to have been in the making since birth. Apparently, the young filmmaker shares common physical traits with his grand-father but also the same love for music and the violin. Is it another coincidence that his grand-mother would call him her "little husband" since his childhood years, winking at the resemblances he and his grand-father share, beyond a first name?

Teta, Alf Marra Production Still - Source

Maybe. Maybe not. What is certain is that he is the one who will tell the love story of this woman with the older Mahmoud. A story that transcends time and death. He is the one who will immortalize this woman's voice and words and gestures on film just like his grand-father immortalized his voice, words and gestures in music. Some of which, unknown to the public, were recorded in his own bedroom. It is from this most intimate sanctuary that his grand-son will finally extend these private compositions to the outside, to the world, to our ears and into our souls.

Teta, Alf Marra is a biography narrated informally through the words the Kaabour matriarch, a strong woman who certainly intimidates most with her candor and force. She does not hide or even tune down her emotions and thoughts for anyone. Not for the street vendors she commands from her balcony like the queen she truly is. Nor for her family or even for the sake of Eva, the future grand-daughter-in-law she meets for the first time.

Teta, Alf Marra is also the autobiography told through the tacit tale that transpires from what is spoken out loud, from every gesture and every silence. The Kaabour matriarch is also Teta Fatima, a touching and moving woman who will at one point or another drive even the most restrained to tears.

Teta, Alf Marra Production Still - Source

This film may be a documentary, but it is a romantic ode as well. An homage to Teta, a tribute to Mahmoud and a rebellion against Death.

Yes, people will undeniably end. But it is never The End. Mahmoud may be gone but Mahmoud is still here. Fatima may have the memories of Mahmoud and a past married life to keep her company but Eva has the presence of Mahmoud and the promise of a hopeful future to build and guard. And also to preserve and eternize the legacy they inherited. For the sake of Fatima and Mahmoud.

If you already have an appreciation for documentaries, this film is just for you. Because it is made with authenticity and respect for reality and the truth, which happen to be qualities that Teta Fatima embodies herself.

If you hate the genre, this film is just for you too. Because it is made by Mahmoud Kaabour, a filmmaker with a theater background, a graduate from the performing arts. Teta, Alf Marra brings to the screen the director's staging creativity, dramatic vision and even his very own acting skills.

All supported with the brilliant cinematography of Muriel Aboulrouss who managed to somehow paint the music through Patricia Heneine's flawless editing: a visual concert of images playing in harmony with Kaabour's violin.

Image Credit: R. Abouzeid - Source

Then why not gift yourself some beauty in a box? The DVD and Soundtrack are an absolute delight to the eyes and the ears.

And I was overjoyed at the sight of Being Osama in the bonus features! I was actually looking for the film and could not find it so this was a perfect surprise. Although produced almost a decade ago, it remains relevant to this day, even more than ever. There truly is a Before 9/11 era which seems to be long gone now, and we currently have to live in a Post 9/11 age, with all the political, social and economical consequences it forces on us in this part of the world but also on all Arabs worldwide.

So if you do not know him already, let Mahmoud Kaabour to your screen and into your home. Allow him to challenge your eyes, your ears, your mind and your heart. He will not disappoint.

Find this blog on Facebook

Introducing Young Talents: Niam Itani

English

Niam Itani is a storyteller. She takes pieces of life and translates them into words, narratives and tales. She gives life to what is inanimate. To chunks of abstract. To snapshots of imagination. She has no children but she is the mother of tens of souls. They live in her pages and on the screen where their lives are rendered into moving images.

Because Niam Itani is a filmmaker.

Born in Lebanon where she lives and works as an independent screenwriter and filmmaker, she graduated from the Lebanese American University with a Bachelor Degree in Communication Arts and a Master's in Education. She then completed her Graduate Screenwriting Program at Hollins University in Virginia, USA before returning home to her alma mater where she currently teaches screenwriting.

"I worked for five years at Al Jazeera Channel in Doha, to get some experience and save money for my graduate tuition fees. When I returned from "Exile" (ghirbeh) people thought I had come back with a fortune, when in fact I was paying my savings for my Screenwriting MFA, so I returned with a degree instead. It was my dream to study screenwriting since I finished my undergrad degree in 2000, but for older relatives and acquaintances in Lebanon, the only good thing that come out of "ghirbeh" should be cashable at the bank. I think for them I might still be a failure". (smile) 


Some might disagree. In fact, Niam has been successfully featured in many film festivals worldwide and her latest short, Super.Full. has been selected out of more than 15,000 films from 160 countries, to compete in Your Film Festival, an online film festival organized by YouTube and Google Inc., in partnership with Sir Ridley Scott and the actor Michael Fassbender. Super.Full. is the only film from Lebanon and one of two Arab films in the competition.

Niam Itani

What got you interested in filmmaking? 
It was simply my desire to do something different than others when it was time to choose a major at university. I knew what I didn't want so I chose Communication Arts with an emphasis on Radio, TV and Film. And I fell in love with filmmaking.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?
Every passionate filmmaker is my favorite filmmaker. The first was Andrei Tarkovsky and countless others followed.

How would you describe your film education? 
My undergraduate and graduate film education were both so overloaded with film and theater work and so much fun, mainly because of the overnights that helped create lifelong friendships!

Is there anyone you call a mentor? 
Every teacher in their own realm were mentors. There isn't enough space to mention them all. I have a special place in my heart for my theater teacher Lina Abyad because she transcended the traditional student-teacher relationship and gave me advice on lots of issues that were life changing, with or without being aware of it!

What advice do you have for students interested in attending the same school? 
Anybody who wants to go to film school needs lots of passion, lots of courage and craziness and lots of discipline. I know that the last two are very difficult to balance, but that is my advice to every film student who wants to succeed.

What sort of internships and jobs have you had and what advice would you give to students interested in gaining the same types of opportunities?
I consider every free gig I worked on since I was a student and until now an internship. A special internship was the one I got at Aljazeera because it taught me alot and was a platform to work along many experienced and veteran journalists and filmmakers. My advice for students looking for opportunities is to say "YES" whenever they have time, and make every opportunity a learning experience. Get to know as many people in this industry as you can.

Super.Full Poster

Tell us about your experience at festivals.
The first time one of my films competed in a festival was in 2005. A short documentary I made was chosen for Aljazeera International Documentary Film Festival in Doha, Qatar. I was 24 and for someone who hadn't traveled much it was a thrilling experience. Later my student film in Hollins won an award in a student film competition in Canada. Super.Full. is the best festival runner so far. It has been selected in 14 film festivals so far and Your Film Festival is the 15th one. Festivals are an excellent way to get your work and yourself out there. They introduce you to new countries and new cultures and for an introvert like me, they put me face to face with strangers. Although I always beg a friend to meet me wherever I fly!

What areas of filmmaking interest you the most? 
Screenwriting is what interests me most. I am a loner. I love the idea of plugging my earphones and pouring my heart out on the page. I enjoy the acts of creating and manipulating characters, and above all, I love telling stories.

You have worked in Theater. How does it differ from Film and where do you feel most "yourself"?
Theater and film are spiritually very fulfilling for me. Theater carries much more thrill, being live and raw. For now I see myself writing for films, though I'd love to try playwriting in the future.

You also have worked in TV. What are some of the main differences between cinema and television? Are there specificities to the Arab world in that regard?
I can't compare Cinema to TV. Film is Art. TV can be art, but it is business. In the Arab world, unfortunately, most TV stations are propaganda outlets. I always advise my students to stop watching TV when they are working on films.

What do you consider the elements of a good film to be? Name a film you would regard as an example. 
A good script, first and foremost. Of course a harmonious production team is always needed to translate the writer's and/or director's vision to the screen. There are lots of good films out there. American Beauty and Little Miss Sunshine are two films that I refer to often in my film classes. I am also a huge fan of the Coen Brothers' films.

You teach screenwriting, name the one film you consider to showcase excellence in screenwriting.
I always change the examples I use in my classrooms, mostly to challenge myself and study more screenplays every year. This year I used a Russian film to show good screenwriting: The Return. The year before I used American Beauty. A Separation was an excellent screenplay for this year, and I thought it deserved the Academy Award for Best Screenplay par excellence.

What sort of things do you study when watching a film?
Sometimes I just let go and don't consider anything. But most of the time I can't help but watch for plot points, act breaks, character identifying lines, etc. It becomes intuitive.

Who are your favorite screen actors and why do you admire their work? 
I don't have an all time favorite screen actor, but I love certain actors in certain roles. There are some that earned immortal acclaim like Al Pacino in Michael Corleone, or Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, Jack Nicholson in Chinatown and many others. I mostly admire actors work when I feel that they took a challenging role, not one that "fits" who they are. Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading is an example that jumps to mind.

What are your best qualities as a filmmaker? 
I have a thing for observing life and people around me and a good eye for detail.

Your worst? 
I try to please everyone.

What inspires your work?
Daily life, for the most part, is where I get my inspiration.

What is the most inspired project you have done? 
My most inspired project is a screenplay I wrote really fast last year. It is my heart's favorite because it is a comedy, it takes place in Beirut, and its protagonist is a "Itani". I am waiting for my screenwriting experience to increase in order to polish the script well. But it is my favorite screenplay so far.

Super.Full.

Tell us about Super.Full. 
Super.Full. slowly developed over the years, between 2007 and 2010. I come from a middle class family and when I saw the world I was exposed to so much poverty and so much wealth, the differences made me sick -literally. But I noticed that the poor were always more content. That was my motive to make the film. The filmmaking process was facilitated with lots of help from my friends and from MAISHA (the Mira Nair association) and from the Doha Film Institute because I was a Qatari resident at the time. DFI assisted us with the equipment and the facilities and key production people, namely a professional DOP and Sound Recordist, and the rest was personal investment. There were lots of production challenges really but none of them was major. I will be publishing "Super.Full. stories" on my blog which everyone is welcome to read and learn from, hopefully. Distribution wise, websites and distribution arms contacted me after festival screenings to show the film for a fee but I refused. I made this film because I want it to be seen and I was planning to make it available online for free, whether through Your Film Festival or simply Vimeo and YouTube.

Are you working on anything new?
I am working on my first feature film, which I hope to film in September 2013. It is a drama intended for theatrical release and festivals alike. We still didn't send out the rewritten script to anybody yet but we will be submitting it to major production grants and funds later this summer and next fall. I am looking for funding but I am a firm believer that with tighter financial power, more hearts go into production. And a production with more heart is usually better on screen than one with more cash. 

How would you describe the film industry in the Arab world and in Lebanon in particular? 
I love that there were many Lebanese films produced last year and this year. There is no industry yet, per se, in the Arab world. But that doesn't mean we cannot make good films. Nadine Labaki made two films that won international acclaim and she is paving the road for other Lebanese and Arab filmmakers. For the mere fact that she gives us hope, I think we have to salute her efforts.

What advice do you have for anyone interested in trying to succeed in our part of the world?
The journey is long, so don't let go. Be in it to win it. Be bold, be free, be truthful.

Super.Full.

If you hadn't been a filmmaker, what profession would you have chosen?
Anything that has to do with writing.

Outside of films, what are your hobbies? 
Tennis, soccer (football), reading, photography, music, life!

If you were stranded on a desert island with only one item, what would it be? 
My eyeglasses, please!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 
Hopefully writing screenplays for other directors. I have lots of stories to tell and I enjoy writing more than directing. I hope some people would want to put those stories on the big screen.

Where can readers view your films and learn more about you? 
My website for a professional version or my blogs (here and here) for the human version. They can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, I am all over the place! (smile)

In one word, if you were a

Film? The English Patient 

Soundtrack? Babel

Book or literary piece? Annabel Lee - Edgar Allen Poe

Color? Navy Blue

Shape? Circle

Famous character (real or fictional)? The Talented Mr. Ripley!

Super.Full.

Make sure you watch Super.Full. here and vote. 

This one tiny click of yours can make a huge change as Your Film Festival is now inviting everyone to take part in the voting process in order to select the films that will be screened at the Venice Film Festival. You can vote once a day, every day, until July 13th so make sure you try to pass by daily so Niam can get a shot at making a film with Ridley Scott's production company! 

How awesome would that be, right?

     

Find this blog on Facebook

BEE like Beirut

English

Beirut is like a beehive this month, so gear up for an excellent May 2012! 

Why don't you Bee Like Beirut too and join all the little ants running around town this month? OK, all the excitement might have got me a little confused. The animal world was never my haven anyway, I hate mosquito bites too much. In any case, ants, bees, mosquitoes, who cares?

What matters is 

it all starts today at Metropolis - Empire (Sofil Center)

Scrapbook: A Month Of Lebanese Cinema, dedicated to films produced locally between 2010 and 20122; for your eyes only. 

Yes, the trailer does not lie, one of our personal favorites, Gate #5 الحوض الخامس will be screening starting May 10. The highly promising program also features:

Scrapbook Program

• Sector Zero | القطاع صفر by Nadim Mishlawi - Starting May 3 
• The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni | اختفاءات سعاد حسني الثلاثة by Rania Stephan - Starting May 17 
• My Father is still a Communist by Ahmad Ghossein - Starting May 24 
• It's All Lebanon by Wissam Charaf - Starting May 31 
• Marcedes | مارسيدس by Hady Zaccak - Starting May 31 
• Yamo | يامو by Rami Nihawi - Starting June 14 
• Ok, Enough, Goodbye | طيب، خلص، يلا by Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia - Starting June 14 

Each film will be screening for 2 weeks and all are in Arabic with English subtitles. Tickets are sold  for 8,000 L.L. and Scrapbook Passes are at 40,000 L.L. Students also benefit from a special discount (5,000 L.L.)


Also this Sunday, May 6, Maz Jobrani will be performing to help raise funds and awareness for SANAD and the seculars of Lebanon will march once again to demand their rights at the The Lebanese Laïque Pride.


Last but not least, I have to end with a quick reminder: my sister is running the Course des Héros taking place this June in Paris in order to collect donations for Cancer Research. Your help is extremely important and highly appreciated so please spread the word, especially to your friends and acquaintances who reside in France, as their donations are tax deductible.



Bookmarks:

Metropolis Cinema Official Web , Facebook and Twitter

Scrapbook event on Facebook

The Lebanese Laïque Pride on Facebook, Twitter, and this year's March

SANAD on Facebook and Maz Jobrani's show  

Gate #5

Sector Zero

OK, Enough, Goodbye

Marcedes

Find this blog on Facebook

Sorry seems to be the hardest word…

English

Apologies my dear, faithful reader, I know you feel left out; and rightfully so. Yet, my disappearance has nothing to do with you. I hate to use clichés here, but truly: it is not you, it is me. Involuntarily, no doubt. Still, I take the blame. 

The truth of the matter is, I am incarcerated in Mommyland. It breaks my heart you have been losing sleep over my absence however some things cannot be helped. Perpetuity is indeed a long time, but thank God I do get a day out every once in a while, on probation of course. So here I am, at your service, for an hour or so. 

I could give you a double bill of rantings: one on Mia and one on Jad. I could talk bottles, milk, diapers and colics. Paracetamol, antibiotics, syrup and suppositories. I could throw in some sleep depravation somewhere. But I refuse to use this time nagging. 

What I will do instead is volunteer a few hints of what you can while you wait for my next day out ;)

Beirut's cultural scene is buzzing these days, so here's how you can enjoy interesting art events and why not, even do your share of good deeds. 

The line up compiled for your eyes only has something to please everyone: fine arts, performing arts, film screenings and even a little activism because well, there are some things worth nagging for over, and over, and over. 

So, currently running at the UNESCO Palace until April 15, an exhibition coming all the way from Switzerland by Lebanon-born painter Sayed Yammine.

Sayed Yammine UNESCO Expo (invitation)

All the details are available on Facebook, and for those who would like to get to know the artist a little more, here is an interview where he introduces his latest work and the subjects of his Beirut Exhibition:

Moving on to movie lovers now, with the screening of "Meet Me Halfway", the documentary produced by The Nawaya Network. Learn more about this awesome NGO and the people behind it on April 17 at the AUB. All the event details are available on Facebook.

And cherry on top: Cupcake Box will also be there, supporting this event! Yum!

May is also looking good so mark your calendars because on the 6th Maz Jobrani is returning to Beirut, with a cause! Tickets are on sale at Virgin Megastore and all proceeds will go to SANAD, a wonderful organization that provides care for terminally ill patients and their families in Lebanon.

Photo Credit: Maz Jobrani

And last but definitely not least, and also on May 6, The Lebanese Laïque Pride will take Beirut's streets by storm for the third consecutive year. Be there! The protest details are all available on Facebook.

Photo Credit: Lebanese Laique Pride

Find this blog on Facebook

The Nawaya Network

English

A couple of weeks ago, I received an invite to attend the pre-launch of a new Lebanese NGO: The Nawaya Network, an organization that aims at "empowering underprivileged youth by connecting them to educational, material, and financial resources to help them develop their talents, skills, and interests".

Unfortunately, it happened to be on March 8 which is when I was due to participate in a launch of another kind and indeed, I found myself at the Clemenceau Medical Center Maternity that very morning, giving birth to gorgeous baby Jad. 

Needless to say I was a little disappointed I missed the event but I am so glad to hear the pre-launch was very successful and helped raise about 9,000 US Dollars in one night thanks to the generosity of the 200 people who attended that special evening at the American University of Beirut. To date, The Nawaya Network has raised almost 12,000 US Dollars in just three weeks!

The volunteers are still working hard at fundraising so if you or anyone else you know is interested in supporting this cause, do share the following link where donations can be made online. The Nawaya Network is also recruiting volunteers and mentors before introducing their online platform and officially launching the NGO towards the end of the year so do not hesitate to spread the word.

Ideas, suggestions, contacts, or resources to support The Nawaya Network are also welcome as the organization is looking to connect with art, music, dance, and athletic institutes, as well as partner up with local NGOs. 


The organization also produced a documentary, Meet Me Halfway, which "follows the lives of four underprivileged youth in Lebanon while they struggle to pursue their passions and develop their strengths despite very limited resources".

If you have the time (and your connection allows for it), you can enjoy the documentary in its entirety on YouTube:

Screenings will be held around Lebanon and in London in a couple of weeks so if you would like to stay updated, sign up to The Nawaya Network Newsletter or follow the organization on Twitter and Facebook for more details.

Bookmarks:

• The Nawaya Network Official Website
• Like The Nawaya Network on Facebook
• Follow The Nawaya Network on Twitter
• Subscribe to The Nawaya Network channel on YouTube

Find this blog on Facebook