Niam Itani
Personal information
Niam Itani
Filmmaker and Producer
Contact information (Private)
Contact information (Work)
Community/Lebanon Impact
Through her work as a screenwriter and filmmaker she tries to serve Lebanon in two ways: The first is to tell stories from and about Lebanon, because she believe that if we don't tell our own stories, no one else will do that for us. The second way is to make Lebanon visible as a country at film festivals and events worldwide.
Social Media
Education
Education:
- Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA), Screenwriting and Film Studies, 2008-2010, Hollins University, Virginia, United States of America.
- Master's degree, Education, 2001-2005, Lebanese American University, Lebanon.
- Bachelor's degree, Communication Arts (Radio/TV/Film), 1997-2000, Lebanese American University, Lebanon.
Work history
Previous Professions:
- Commissioning & Acquisitions Producer, TRT World, 2017 - Present.
- Co-Founder & Executive Producer, 2010- Present, Placeless Films llc.
- Producer, 2005-2010, Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel.
- Member and Co-Host, 2004-2017, The D-Word (the largest online forum for international documentary professionals).
Major Achievements
Publications (Books, Articles, Reports, etc.):
- Itani, N. (Producer and Director). (2015). Twice upon a time. [Documentary]. Beirut: Placeless Films llc. and Al-Jazeera Documentary Channel.
- Itani, N. (Screenwriter and Director). (2010). Super. Full. [Film]. Doha: Placeless Films llc. and the Doha Film Institute.
- Itani, N. (Co-Producer). (2014). Transit game. [Film]. Beirut: Sepasi Films and Placeless Films llc.
Exhibitions, lectures & performances:
- Speaker at a children and family services center during a workshop for professionals working with refugees relocating to California from around the globe, Walnut Creek, California, 2013
- Trainer at the workshop entitled "harrer, harrer" organized by the Doha Film Institute, Beirut, 2011.
Accomplishments
Awards:
- Winner, “Best Feature Documentary” Award at the Lebanese Film Festival for the film, “Twice Upon a Time”, 2016.
- Winner, Best Short Film Award for the movie entitled "Transit Game" at the Arab Film Festival in San Francisco, 2014.
- Winner, Best Screenplay Award for the short screenplay entitled "Super.Full" at the Zanzibar Screenwriting Workshop organized by MAISHA and the Doha Film Institute, Tanzania, 2010.
- Winner, Jury Commendation for the short film entitled "Super.Full" at the Foster Film Festival, Australia, 2012.
- Finalist for the film entitled "Super.Full" at "Your Film Festival" organized by Google and YouTube, Sir Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender.
- Winner, production grant for the screenplay of "Shadow of a Man" from the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), 2012.
- Winner, development grant for the screenplay of "Shadow of a Man" from the Doha Film Institute, 2011.
Competences & Skills
Field(s) of Expertise:
- Production (Film/TV)
- Story and Script Consulting
- Independent Film Making and Financing
- Film and Scriptwriting Education
Languages:
- Arabic
- English
- French
- Spanish