Elisa Sednaoui (born December 14, 1987) is a model, actress, film director, philanthropist, social entrepreneur[4] and best-selling author[5] of Syrian,[6]Italian, Egyptian, and French descent.[7] She has appeared in such films as Eastern Drift,[8]La Baie du renard, Bus Palladium,[9]Les Gamins, and Remember Now,[10] as well as in fashion campaigns for Chanel Eyewear, Giorgio Armani, Missoni, Roberto Cavalli, Lancôme[11] and Buccellati.[7] In 2013, she created the Elisa Sednaoui Foundation, dedicated to promoting creative learning, after-school initiatives for youngsters.[12] The organization has expanded and exists today both as a social enterprise[13] and a Nonprofit.[14] Funtasia Impact, a UK Nonprofit organization, is active in Italy since 2016 through the entity Funtasia Italia[15] and in the United States, Funtasia Impact USA[16] is a registered 501c3 founded in 2020. Sednaoui also founded and directs Funtasia Enterprise,[17][18] a USA Benefit corporation,[19] focusing on for profit educational products for parents and teachers[20] and consultancies for schools and museums.[21] In May 2022, Sednaoui released her first book, co-written with Linguistic Intelligence expert Paolo Borzacchiello,[22] which became an instant best-seller in Italy.[23]
Elisa Sednaoui was born in Savigliano, Piedmont, Italy and raised between three countries, Egypt, Italy, and France. She spent much of her early life in Luxor and Zamalek, Cairo.[24] Her mother is of Italian and Syrian heritage, while her father has Egyptian, Syrian and French roots. The Sednaoui family, a Melkite Greek Catholic family of Syrian descent, finds its roots in the city of Sednaya, from where their surname originates. The Sednaoui family migrated to Egypt at the end of the 19th century and developed successful department stores in Cairo.[25]
Film
Sednaoui's first feature film, Šarūnas Bartas’ Eastern Drift was released in Paris in December 2010.[26] She played the lead female role of "Gabriella", alongside Bartas. The film was shown at La Berlinale 2010 – section “The International Forum of New Cinema.”[27][28] In La Baie du Renard, a short film selected to close Critics Week (Semaine de la Critique) at Cannes Film Festival 2009, Sednaoui starred alongside Pierre Torreton [29]
In 2010 [30] she starred in French screens in Christopher Thompson's first feature film Bus Palladium, co-starring with Marc André Grondin and Arthur Dupont. Sednaoui also starred opposite French actor Pascal Greggory in Karl Lagerfeld's short film Remember Now,[31][32] the introduction to the 2010 Chanel Cruise Collection.
Sednaoui has also appeared in Love Lasts Three Years, released by Europa in January 2012, [33] and The Legend of Kaspar Hauser, a surrealistic adaptation of the 19th century Teutonic foundling story transposed to Sardinia.[34]
Directorial work
Sednaoui co-directed with Martina Gili the documentary Kullu Tamam (Everything is Good).[35] The film showcases Egyptians not covered by mainstream media by telling the stories of characters who, despite their differences of age and belief, share the sudden discovery of what is usually referred to as “freedom of expression”. The film depicts the countryside of Luxor.[36] Gili and Sednaoui co-directed a music video for music producer Chaim's song “Robots on Meth”, which was initially exclusively released on Interview.com.[37] Sednaoui also directed "In Conversation With Vogue Arabia" the first short film to ever be featured on the online version of Vogue Arabia,[38] starring Lebanese designers Elie Saab.[39] The short film was part of the Official Selection of 2017 edition of London Fashion Film Festival,[40] Berlin Fashion Film Festival, Milano Fashion Film Festival, Istanbul Fashion Film Fest, Copenhagen Fashion Film and Aesthetica Short Film Festival.
In 2013, Sednaoui created the Elisa Sednaoui Foundation,[44] a nonprofit organization providing creative learning after-school programs for youngsters. The foundation's pilot program, a music workshop for youngsters in Luxor, Egypt, took place in April, 2014. During a full school-week, local youngsters attended the workshop (organized with the support of Makan—the Egyptian Center For Culture and Arts—and fellow NPO MIMA Music), which consisted in creative, game-like activities that helped them write and record a full song. The foundation has since taken on the name Funtasia Impact, its main project. It is registered as a UK charitable incorporated organization (CIO).[45] It offers underserved communities youth programs and educators building capacity. It is active in Italy through the entity Funtasia Italia[15] founded in 2016 and in the United States, Funtasia Impact USA[16] is registered 501c3 as of 2020.
Funtasia Impact currently has physical presence in 24 cities around the world, as well as global digital presence. To date, it has impacted 11291 Youth ages 4–18 and involved over 1500 adults globally. Its indirect beneficiaries through partnership such as the one with Save The Children Italy have reached over 50000 individuals.
Egypt
Funtasia manages its own center in Luxor, Egypt,[46][47] where youth classes, workshops and adult training programs are implemented. Additionally it works through partnerships with Sawiris Foundation, the Swiss Embassy in Egypt, Right to Play, and A.P.E. in Esna, Assiut, Mokattam, Cairo, Haram City.
Mexico
Funtasia Impact was invited by the Xalapa municipality to build capacity of over 30 adults from the community,[48][49] and to run 2 workshops for 600 students of public school Escuela Mexico. Renowned Italian photographer Laura Sciacovelli and Mexican film director Moises Aisemberg also joined community educators and creatives.
Italy
Funtasia works with public schools in the cities of Bra,[50] Savigliano, Torino. In collaboration with the Public Schools Board of education, Funtasia provides courses to develop essential life skills with a focus on authentic expression and self-confidence, interior and exterior wellness, connections and empathy with others.
In partnership with Caffè Vergnano, Funtasia developed an Educational program focused around Entrepreneurship and gender inclusion for two highschool classes[51] (about 50 youth) plus 500 online beneficiaries. An experiential journey combining strengthening of essential life skills, with the opportunity to reflect on the theme of personal realization, diving into pre-assumptions, prejudices and gender gaps.
The organization has been working with SAVE THE CHILDREN Italy since 2016 to build capacity of Save the Children educators working in Punti Luce centers across Italy,[52] in Napoli, Roma Ostia, Roma Torre Maura, Roma Ponte di Nona Udine, Genova, Milano Giambellino, Prato, Bari, Torino, Palermo Zen, Palermo Zisa, Sassari[53] (Italy). The most recent project they collaborated on was called “Equip today to thrive tomorrow “ (ET3[54])[53] and financed by Accenture Foundation, in collaboration with Save the Children USA. The project is carried out in Italy and simultaneously in 5 other countries around the world and over the 3 years will reach approximately 44,000 beneficiaries, including children and youth and 3,000 parents, teachers, facilitators and educators. ET3's main objective is to develop the human and digital skills of children (aged 8 to 14) with a high level of awareness of their needs with a focus on growth mindset and creativity in a perspective of gender inclusion.
Since 2015, Elisa is also a high profile supporter of UNHCR,[55] with a first visit in Lebanon[56] in 2016 and follow up visits to a Syrian refugee family legally relocated in Italy. She has also visited a refugee center located in Xalapa, Mexico in 2020.[57]
Fashion
In addition to film, Sednaoui has appeared in campaigns for Chanel Eyewear, Giorgio Armani and a Roberto Cavalli fragrance campaign in February 2012, shot by Steven Klein for print and Johan Renck for television.[7] In December 2015 she collaborated with Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino on his campaign for Missoni Fragrance.[58] Before his death during February 2019, Sednaoui served as a muse to Karl Lagerfeld.[59][60]
She also worked extensively with photographer Peter Lindbergh,[61] particularly for the multi-years contract with italian Jewelry brand Buccellati and the fashion brand Ermanno Scervino in 2016 and 2017.[61]
In 2019, Christian Louboutin launched a new handbag model that he named "Elisa"[62][63][64] after his Goddaughter and muse.
“Nessuno Può Farti Star Male Senza Il Tuo Permesso” (“Nobody Can Hurt You Without Your Permission”), the first book she co-wrote with italian Linguistic Intelligence Expert Paolo Borzacchiello, through cognitive behavioral tools supports the building of self-esteem, self-awareness and confidence in the interactions with others.
Book
Borzacchiello, Sednaoui (2022). Nessuno può farti star male senza il tuo permesso, Mondadori, ISBN 9788804755333
Sednaoui married an Anglo-Sephardic businessman,[70][71] Alexander Dellal, on 3 May 2014.[72] They have together two sons, Jack Zeitoun in 2013,[73] and Samuel Luxor[74] in 2017.[75]
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