Omar Naim
Encyclopedia
Omar Naim (born September 27, 1977) is a Los Angeles
based Lebanese
film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed the movie The Final Cut in 2004.
to journalist father and renowned actress and playwright mother Nidal Al-Ashkar. Growing up surrounded by artists, musicians and writers, Naim had a childhood enriched with art culture. His parents were both in theater and film. His mother, Nidal Al-Ashkar, the matriarch of Lebanese theater, is the founder of Masrah Al-Madina (The City Theater) where she was decorated by the French government in 1997 with a Knight Grade Decoration of Arts and Letters.
Naim had his first film-going experience at 14. As he grew more and more fascinated with the world of cinema, he became furthermore interested in nurturing the abilities of writing and visuals. As an aspiring filmmaker, Naim was mostly inspired by directors like Martin Scorsese
, Woody Allen
, Oliver Stone
and Spike Lee
.
in Boston
, Massachusetts
. During his four-year education at Emerson, Naim created a number of short films, among which figures his 1999 thesis, a 28-minute documentary titled Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut. In this work, Naim puts the spotlight on Beirut
’s historic Grand Theater, which was torn in a violent no-man's land between two bellicose sides in the Lebanese civil war
. The theater serves as a metaphorical illustration for Lebanon
's tragic 15-year civil war
. Through the eyes of the old theater, the different tales of actors, directors, soldiers and civilians are woven together at the Grand Theater. As war escalates in scale and absurdity, the lines between war and theater, as well as between show and reality, become blurred. The film earned Naim several awards at Emerson, an Honorable Mention, and played at a number of international festivals. Naim was also a finalist for the Student Oscar given by the AMPAS in 2000. Above all, and perhaps most importantly, this film earned the young director loaded hands-on experience he needed to be able to tackle his next giant project, which was still dormant at that time. “I learned everything making that film, from inception to print”, says Naim.
, Academy Award winning actress Mira Sorvino
, and Jim Caviezel. Tak Fujimoto
, of The Silence of the Lambs and The Sixth Sense
fame, oversaw the cinematography. The film won the best screenplay award at the Deauville Film Festival and was an official selection of the Berlin Film Festival.
"The Final Cut is about editing and memory" said the young director barely 27 at the time. Naim also stated that his Lebanese
origins also influenced the film's plot. "It’s the Lebanese notion of mass memory, and people's very subjective memory and view of the world," he explains. "This subsequently dictates how society functions. I extrapolated that into sci-fi theory.".
Naim had sent his script to the French project Equinox, where hundreds of screenwriters from around the world submit their movie scripts. Only ten are chosen and are flown in to Bordeaux
to work on their screenplay with a group of experts for a week. Naim was one of the lucky ten and was then fixed with an agent. Upon his arrival, Naim made it clear that he was not interested in having anyone but himself direct his movie. Naim indeed was allotted the post of director and, once headed to the US, Lionsgate Entertainment gave the script a green light.
As Lionsgate was recruiting actors, Robin Williams
expressed interest in playing the lead role of Alan Hakman. Having loved the script, Williams told Naim that "what really struck him was the sense of mortality, something he hadn't explored as an actor before" ". Within weeks, the rest of the cast and crew was hired. The 95 minutes movie was shot on 35mm film in Vancouver
, Canada
and was described by Naim as a very harmonious, very organized 35-day shoot "with no problems what-so-ever".
Nominations
... aka The final Cut - Dein Tod ist erst der Anfang (Germany: DVD title)
Cinematographer
... aka We Are Not Alone
Writer
... aka The final Cut - Dein Tod ist erst der Anfang (Germany: DVD title)
Producer
Editor
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
based Lebanese
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed the movie The Final Cut in 2004.
Early life
Omar Naim was born in LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
to journalist father and renowned actress and playwright mother Nidal Al-Ashkar. Growing up surrounded by artists, musicians and writers, Naim had a childhood enriched with art culture. His parents were both in theater and film. His mother, Nidal Al-Ashkar, the matriarch of Lebanese theater, is the founder of Masrah Al-Madina (The City Theater) where she was decorated by the French government in 1997 with a Knight Grade Decoration of Arts and Letters.
Naim had his first film-going experience at 14. As he grew more and more fascinated with the world of cinema, he became furthermore interested in nurturing the abilities of writing and visuals. As an aspiring filmmaker, Naim was mostly inspired by directors like Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
, Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
, Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
and Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
.
Education and "Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut"
With the help of the Fares Foundation, Naim went on to study film at Emerson CollegeEmerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. During his four-year education at Emerson, Naim created a number of short films, among which figures his 1999 thesis, a 28-minute documentary titled Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut. In this work, Naim puts the spotlight on Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
’s historic Grand Theater, which was torn in a violent no-man's land between two bellicose sides in the Lebanese civil war
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
. The theater serves as a metaphorical illustration for Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
's tragic 15-year civil war
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
. Through the eyes of the old theater, the different tales of actors, directors, soldiers and civilians are woven together at the Grand Theater. As war escalates in scale and absurdity, the lines between war and theater, as well as between show and reality, become blurred. The film earned Naim several awards at Emerson, an Honorable Mention, and played at a number of international festivals. Naim was also a finalist for the Student Oscar given by the AMPAS in 2000. Above all, and perhaps most importantly, this film earned the young director loaded hands-on experience he needed to be able to tackle his next giant project, which was still dormant at that time. “I learned everything making that film, from inception to print”, says Naim.
The Final Cut (2004)
In 2004, Naim wrote and directed his first feature film, The Final Cut, which starred Academy Award winning actor and comedian Robin WilliamsRobin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, Academy Award winning actress Mira Sorvino
Mira Sorvino
Mira Katherine Sorvino is an American actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Mighty Aphrodite and is also known for her role as Romy White in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.- Early life :Sorvino was born in Tenafly, New Jersey...
, and Jim Caviezel. Tak Fujimoto
Tak Fujimoto
Tak Fujimoto , A.S.C. is an American cinematographer. A graduate of the London Film School, he has worked with filmmakers Jonathan Demme, M. Night Shyamalan, John Hughes, Howard Deutch and Terrence Malick. Early in his career, he worked on the second unit of the first Star Wars film...
, of The Silence of the Lambs and The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear , a troubled, isolated boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and an equally troubled child psychologist who tries to help him...
fame, oversaw the cinematography. The film won the best screenplay award at the Deauville Film Festival and was an official selection of the Berlin Film Festival.
"The Final Cut is about editing and memory" said the young director barely 27 at the time. Naim also stated that his Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
origins also influenced the film's plot. "It’s the Lebanese notion of mass memory, and people's very subjective memory and view of the world," he explains. "This subsequently dictates how society functions. I extrapolated that into sci-fi theory.".
Naim had sent his script to the French project Equinox, where hundreds of screenwriters from around the world submit their movie scripts. Only ten are chosen and are flown in to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to work on their screenplay with a group of experts for a week. Naim was one of the lucky ten and was then fixed with an agent. Upon his arrival, Naim made it clear that he was not interested in having anyone but himself direct his movie. Naim indeed was allotted the post of director and, once headed to the US, Lionsgate Entertainment gave the script a green light.
As Lionsgate was recruiting actors, Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
expressed interest in playing the lead role of Alan Hakman. Having loved the script, Williams told Naim that "what really struck him was the sense of mortality, something he hadn't explored as an actor before" ". Within weeks, the rest of the cast and crew was hired. The 95 minutes movie was shot on 35mm film in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and was described by Naim as a very harmonious, very organized 35-day shoot "with no problems what-so-ever".
Awards
Won- Deauville Film Festival, 2004: Best Screenplay for The Final Cut
- New England Film and Video Festival, 2000: Honorable Mention for Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut
Nominations
- Berlin International Film FestivalBerlin International Film FestivalThe Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
, 2004: Golden Berlin Bear for The Final Cut - Deauville Film Festival, 2004: Grand Special Prize for The Final Cut
- Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival, 2004: Best Film for The Final Cut
Filmography
Director- Dead AwakeDead AwakeDead Awake is a 2010 mystery film starring Nick Stahl, Rose McGowan, and Amy Smart. The film was previously titled Dylan's Wake.-Plot:...
(2010) - Stand Up: Muslim-American Comics Come of Age (2009) (co-director)
- The Final Cut (2004) (as Omar Naïm)
... aka The final Cut - Dein Tod ist erst der Anfang (Germany: DVD title)
- Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut (1999)
- When Simon Sleeps (1999)
Cinematographer
- Real Things (2000) (co-cinematographer)
- Venus DeMento (2000)
- Mô, hitori ja nai (1998)
... aka We Are Not Alone
Writer
- The Final Cut (2004) (written by) (as Omar Naïm)
... aka The final Cut - Dein Tod ist erst der Anfang (Germany: DVD title)
Producer
- Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut (1999) (producer)
Editor
- Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut (1999)
- When Simon Sleeps (1999)