Cinematic Cedars: Lebanon's Freelance Filmmakers

Lebanese freelance filmmakers craft bold, thought-provoking cinema that bridges East and West. From indie documentaries capturing social realities to visually stunning fiction films, they redefine storytelling with resilience and passion. With limited resources but unlimited creativity, they bring Lebanon’s untold stories to life, earning global recognition at festivals and beyond.

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Nadine Labaki

Nadine Labaki is a renowned Lebanese director, screenwriter, and actress. She gained international acclaim with her film Capernaum (2018), which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Labaki's work often explores social issues and challenges stereotypes within Lebanese society. 

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Ziad Doueiri

Ziad Doueiri is a Lebanese-born cinematographer, film director, and writer. He is best known for his award-winning film West Beirut (1998), which portrays the Lebanese Civil War through the eyes of teenagers. Doueiri has also worked as a camera assistant on several Quentin Tarantino films, including Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.

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Danielle Arbid

Danielle Arbid is a Lebanese filmmaker whose work often reflects themes of exile and identity. Her films, such as In the Battlefields (2004) and Parisienne (2015), have been featured in numerous international festivals, earning critical acclaim for their poignant storytelling and exploration of personal freedom. 

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Hady Zaccak

Hady Zaccak is a Lebanese documentary filmmaker known for his extensive work chronicling Lebanon's social and cultural history. His documentaries, such as Marcedes (2011) and Ya Omri (2016), offer intimate portraits of Lebanese life, preserving personal and collective memories through his lens. 

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Threads of Heritage: Freelance Fashion Designers in Lebanon

Lebanese freelance fashion designers redefine elegance, merging ancient embroidery with avant-garde silhouettes. Inspired by Phoenician history and Mediterranean glam, they create couture and ready-to-wear pieces that captivate international runways. Their sustainable approach, bold aesthetics, and cultural pride make Lebanese fashion a bridge between heritage and the future of design.

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Elie Saab

Elie Saab is a self-taught designer who began his career in the early 1980s, specializing in bridal couture. His Beirut-based fashion house has become synonymous with luxury and elegance, dressing celebrities and royalty worldwide. Saab's designs are renowned for their intricate embroidery, luxurious fabrics, and attention to detail. 

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Zuhair Murad

Hailing from Ras Baalbek, Zuhair Murad moved to Paris to pursue his fashion education. He established his Beirut atelier in 1997 and has since become a favorite among Hollywood celebrities. Murad's designs often feature elaborate embellishments and a blend of traditional and contemporary styles, reflecting his Middle Eastern heritage. 

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Sandra Mansour

Born in Geneva to Lebanese parents, Sandra Mansour founded her eponymous label in Beirut in 2010. She is known for her romantic and feminine designs, often drawing inspiration from art and nature. In 2020, Mansour became the first Arab designer to collaborate with Swedish fashion giant H&M, bringing her ethereal aesthetic to a global audience.

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Nour Hage

A British-Lebanese designer, Nour Hage launched her brand in 2013, focusing on contemporary menswear that reinterprets traditional Arab garments. Her designs emphasize craftsmanship and sustainability, often incorporating elements of Middle Eastern heritage. Hage has also ventured into textile art and digital creations, reflecting her multidisciplinary approach to design.

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Shuttered Stories: Lebanon's Freelance Photographers

Lebanon’s freelance photographers capture a country of contrasts—old souks and modern skylines, resilience and revolution, mountains and sea. Through street photography, fashion editorials, and documentary storytelling, they frame Lebanon’s beauty and complexity, turning fleeting moments into powerful narratives that reflect the soul of the nation with every breathtaking shot.

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Myriam Boulos

Myriam Boulos began exploring reality through her lens at the age of 16. A graduate of the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, her work has been featured in exhibitions worldwide, including the International Center of Photography in New York and the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. Boulos's photography delves into themes of identity, society, and the human condition in Lebanon.

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Lara Zankoul

A self-taught photographer based in Beirut, Lara Zankoul is renowned for her surreal and conceptual fine art photography. Her work often blurs the lines between reality and imagination, creating dreamlike scenes that invite viewers into her creative narratives. 

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Rania Matar

Born in Lebanon and now residing in the United States, Rania Matar focuses her lens on women and personal narratives across both the U.S. and the Middle East. Her poignant portraits have been exhibited globally, including at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Carnegie Museum of Art. Matar is also an associate professor of photography at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. 

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Jack Seikaly

A Lebanese photographer who has been documenting the Lebanese uprising since its inception on October 17, 2019. Seikaly's compelling images capture the fervor and resilience of the Lebanese people during times of protest and change.

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Beats of Beirut: Lebanon's Freelance Music Producers

Lebanese freelance music producers remix tradition with innovation, blending oud melodies with electronic beats and hip-hop grooves. Their genre-defying sounds electrify clubs, films, and cultural festivals, proving that Lebanon’s musical pulse is both ancient and cutting-edge. From underground anthems to chart-topping hits, they amplify the spirit of a dynamic nation.

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Ibrahim Maalouf

Ibrahim Maalouf is a French-Lebanese trumpeter, composer, and producer. He is renowned for blending jazz with Middle Eastern musical traditions, utilizing a unique quarter-tone trumpet invented by his father, Nassim Maalouf. Ibrahim's innovative approach has garnered international acclaim, and he continues to perform globally, including notable appearances at the Marciac Jazz Festival in France.

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Fadi Tabbal

Fadi Tabbal is a Lebanese musician, producer, and sound engineer. He is the founder of Tunefork Studios, a collective offering customized sound and music services across various media. Fadi's work spans multiple genres, and he is recognized for his significant contributions to Lebanon's alternative music scene. 

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Julien Jabre

Julien Jabre is a French-Lebanese electronic music composer, producer, and audio engineer. Specializing in house music, he has been active since 1996 and is associated with the French house scene. Julien's work has been influential in shaping electronic music both in Lebanon and internationally.

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Youssef Nasser

Youssef Nasser is a certified music producer with over nine years of experience in creating and arranging music. He has signed tracks with prominent labels such as Armada Music and Universal, and his work has received radio airplay from top industry artists like David Guetta and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. Youssef has also composed music for major TV channels in the MENA region, including LBC and MBC. 

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Voices of the Cedars: Lebanon's Freelance Writers & Storytellers

Freelance writers and storytellers in Lebanon weave history, identity, and revolution into compelling narratives. Whether crafting novels, poetry, screenplays, or digital content, they give voice to personal and collective experiences. Their words echo Lebanon’s rich literary past while shaping its future, proving that storytelling remains a powerful force of change.

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Hilal Chouman

Hilal Chouman is a Lebanese novelist whose works often reflect contemporary life in Beirut. His novel "Limbo Beirut"was translated into English and nominated for the PEN Translation Prize in 2017. Chouman's writing captures the nuances of post-war Lebanese society.

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Fatima Sharafeddine

A prolific writer and translator, Fatima Sharafeddine has authored over 120 books for children and young adults. Her works aim to nurture imagination and address contemporary issues faced by young readers. Sharafeddine has received multiple awards, including the Etisalat Children's Literature Award in 2017.

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Joumana Haddad

Joumana Haddad is a Lebanese poet, journalist, and human rights activist. She is recognized for her bold writings on gender and societal issues in the Arab world. Haddad founded Jasad, a quarterly Arabic-language magazine focused on the arts and literature of the body, and has been listed among the world's 100 most powerful Arab women.

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Rabih Alameddine

A Lebanese-American painter and writer, Rabih Alameddine is known for his novels that explore complex identities and diasporic experiences. His acclaimed works include "The Hakawati" and "An Unnecessary Woman", both of which offer deep insights into Lebanese culture and history.

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