Darine Hotait

Darine Hotait is an American film director and writer of Lebanese Descent.[1][2] She is best known for her short films, I Say Dust, Like Salt, and Tallahassee.[3][4]

Darine Hotait
Born
Beirut, Lebanon
Occupation
  • Director
  • writer
Years active2008 – present

Early life and education

Darine Hotait was born in Beirut, Lebanon. At an early age, her family emigrated to the United States of America.[5] She graduated with an MFA in screenwriting and film directing from the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.[6] In 2010, she founded Cinephilia Productions, a New York-based film production company.[7]

Career

Hotait's short film, I Say Dust, starring Hala Alyan and Mounia Akl, premiered at Outfest in 2015.[8] The film was banned from screening in some Arab countries for portraying a kiss between two women on screen.[3] In 2018, her short film, Like Salt, starring Jessica Damouni and Ben Williams, the film received the Best Film Award at the Oscar-qualifying Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Festival.[9] In 2019, she received the New York State Council on the Arts Individual Artist Award.[10]

In 2021, Hotait released her film, Tallahassee starring Cherien Dabis, Hala Alyan, and Samia Halaby , premiered at the 10th Blackstar Film Festival.[4] She directed the music video of Grammy-nominated album 'ONA' by Thana Alexa, premiered on Forbes.[11]

Filmography

Films
YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerNote
2009 The Far Side of Laughter Yes Yes Yes Short film
2009 Command or Truth Yes Yes Yes Short film
2011 Beirut... Hide & Seek Yes Yes Yes Short film
2013 Ash Yes Short film
2015 I Say Dust Yes Yes Short film
2018 Like Salt Yes Yes Short film
2021 Tallahassee Yes Yes Short film

Music video
Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2021 ONA Yes Yes Music video for Thana Alexa

Awards and nominations
Year Result Award Category Work Ref.
2016 Nominated Outfest Outstanding Narrative Short Film I Say Dust [8]
2018 Nominated Marfa Film Festival Best Short Film Like Salt
Nominated Carthage Film Festival Narrative Short Film [12]
2021 Nominated Woodstock Film Festival Best Short Film Tallahassee [4]
Nominated El Gouna Film Festival Short Films Competition [13]
Won Boston Palestine Film Festival Best Narrative Short [14]

References
  1. "BlackStar Film Fest 2021 Interview: Darine Hotait on Being Able to Step Outside Oneself in "Tallahassee"". moveablefest.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  2. "Interview: Darine Hotait, Award-winning Writer & Film Director". femmerevamp.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  3. "Q&A: Egyptian and Lebanese film festivals censor 'I Say Dust' because of a same-sex kiss". latimes.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  4. "'Tallahassee' Tackles Mental Health Stigma in Arab-American Communities". egyptianstreets.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  5. "The Arab-American identity in a diaspora context". spraggettonchess.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  6. "Cinephilia: A one-woman attempt to improve the region's screenwriting". madamasr.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  7. "Buro 24/7 Interview: Darine Hotait, founder of Cinephilia". buro247.me. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  8. "Outfest 2016 film guide" (PDF). outfest.org. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  9. "Sharjah Art Foundation's Film Festival, Sharjah Film Platform 3, Opens this Weekend". sharjahart.org. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  10. "New York Foundation for the Arts". nysca.org. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  11. "Meet The Grammy-Nominated Croatian-American Jazz Vocalist Singing The Stories Of Women Everywhere". forbes.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  12. "The Six: What to watch at the Carthage Film Festival". arabnews.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  13. "Tallahassee (2021)". elgounafilmfestival.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  14. "Boston Palestine Film Festival 2021". americantowns.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
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