Arab Filmmakers of the Middle East: A Dictionary

Part 1. Dictionary of Filmmakers

Part One Dictionary of Filmmakers Abbas, Hiam. Palestinian filmmaker and actress . Born in 1960 in Nazareth, she has lived in France since 1989. She studied photography before turning to acting in 1983. Since playing the lead in Michel Khleifi’s Palestinian Wedding in Galilee (1987), she has starred in a dozen or more major Arab films, including two Lebanese productions—Rashid Masharawi’s Haifa and Danielle Arbid’s Raddem; two Tunisian features—Raja Amari’s Satin Rouge, and Moufida Tlatli’s Nadia and Sara; two dealing with the immigrant community in France—Christophe Ruggia’s Le Gône de chaaba and Bourlem Guerdjou’s Living in Paradise; as well as Ahmed Boulane’s Moroccan feature Ali, Rabia and the Others, and the Egyptian Yousry Nasrallah’s Gate of the Sun. Short films: Bread / Le pain / al-Khubz (2000, 18', 35mm), The Eternal Dance / La danse éternelle / al-Raqisa al-abadiya (2003, 26', 35mm). Abbas, Hussain Ghulom (Abu Jalal). Bahraini filmmaker. Born in 1947, he studied filmmaking in Tehran and worked there for some years. He also worked in television. Short films: Black Bag (1968), Compunction (2005, 52', DVD). Abbas, Mustafa. Emirati filmmaker. He studied filmmaking at the Hollywood Film Institute and has written and directed a number of amateur films. Short film (with English dialogue ): 100 Miles (2007, 26', Mini DV). Abboud, Anne-Marie. Lebanese filmmaker. She studied filmmaking at Fine Arts Institute in Beirut. Short fictional film: Portrait of Memories (2000, 17'). Abboud, Marwa. Emirati filmmaker. Born in 1983, she studied at the American University of Sharjah. Short documentary film: Egoism (2004, 11', Mini DV). Abboud, Taysir. Lebanese filmmaker. Fea­ ture films: The Madness of Adolescent Girls / La folie des adolescentes / Jounoun al-mourahikat (1969), The Bells of Return / Les cloches du retour / Ajrass al-awda (1969), Forgive Me, My Love / Pardonne-moi mon amour / Samehni habibi (1981). Abdalla, Hussain Nabil. Emirati filmmaker. Born and raised in the UAE, of Palestinian descent , he studied at the American University of Sharjah. Short films: ’48 and After (2007, 2', DVD), Too Much Work (2007, 1', Mini DV). Abdallah, Ghassan. Syrian filmmaker. Short fictional film: Daydreams / Ahlam mountasaf al-daheera (2005, 7', 35mm). Abdallah, Mona. Emirati filmmaker. She was born in 1988 in Benghazi, Libya, and lived in Lebanon before moving to the UAE. She studied at the American University of Sharjah. Short films: Bait (2007, 3', Mini DV), Break In (2007, 3', Mini DV), Aftermath (2007, 2', Mini DV). Abdallah, Samir. Palestinian filmmaker . Born in 1959 in Denmark, he has lived in France since the age of 6 and has French nationality . He has made numerous short documentary films. Feature-length documentaries: We Shall Return One Day / Nous retournerons un jour (with Walid Charara, 1998, 90', video), Arab Filmmakers of the Middle East 36 Writers on the Borders, a Journey to Palestine / Écrivains des frontières (with Jose Reynes, 2004, 80', DV Cam), After the War . . . / Après la guerre, c’est toujours la guerre (in Lebanon, 2008, 82', DigiBeta). Abdelaziz, Faleh. Iraqi filmmaker. Feature film: Return to the Countryside / Retour à la campagne / Al-awda lil rif (1963, 35mm). Abdelhadi, Walid. Palestinian filmmaker. Short film: Nour’s Dream (2006). Abdelhamid, Abdellatif. Syrian filmmaker. Born in 1954 in Lattakiah, he first studied Arabic literature at university in his hometown, then filmmaking at the Moscow film school, VGIK, where he graduated in 1981. He has appeared as an actor in films by Mohamed Malas and Oussama Mohammad. His short and documentary films include three made during his studies: Good Night / Bonne nuit / Tushibuna . . . ala-Khayr, An Old Lesson / Une ancienne leçon / Darsun qadima, Upside Down / Sens dessus dessous / Ra’as ala aqib (1981). After graduating, he made further documentaries: Desires a.k.a. Wishes / Désirs / Umnyat (1983), Our Hands / Nos mains / Aydeena (1984, 21'). In 1985, he wrote and directed a television serial, Two Weeks and Five Months / Usbu’an wa khamsat shuhur. Feature films: The Nights of the Jackal / Les nuits du chacal / Layali ibn awa (1989, 95', 35mm), Verbal Messages / Lettres orales / Rasa’il al shafahyya (1991, 105', 35mm), The Rising Rain / La montée de la pluie / Su’ud al-matar (1996, 90', 35mm), Breeze of the Soul / Le souffle de l’âme / Nassim ar-ruh (1998, 90', 35mm), Two Moons and an Olive Tree a.k.a. Qamaran and Zeltouna / Deux lunes et un olivier / Qamarn wa zayrunah (2001, 90', 35mm), At Our Listeners ’ Request...