Zayn Alexandre | |
|---|---|
 Zayn Alexandre at the 2018 Santa Barbara International Film Festival | |
| Born | |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation(s) | Director, Actor |
| Years active | 2012 - present |
Zayn Alexandre(aka Zayn Alexander) is a Lebanese American film director and actor based in New York City. [1] He is known for his work on the short films Abroad and Manara .
Zayn was born and raised in Lebanon. [2] Zayn studied psychology at the American University of Beirut and left for the United States to pursue acting in 2010. [3]
In New York City, Zayn met fellow actor, Pascale Seigneurie, who would soon become a frequent collaborator. [3] The two paired up to create Abroad , a film about a Lebanese couple pursuing their acting dreams in America and struggling with being typecast in Middle Eastern roles. Seigneurie wrote the short film, Zayn directed. [4] The film was shot in one day. [5] It debuted at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2018. [6] [7] [8] The Moise A. Khayrallah Center has awarded Zayn and Abroad The 2020 Khayrallah Art Prize. [9] [10]
In 2019, and Seigneurie followed up with Manara , a short film about a Lebanese funeral and a family coping with the cultural pressures of Lebanese society. [3] Manara was filmed in Tyre, Lebanon. [11] It debuted during the 76th Venice International Film Festival in September 2019. [3]
A new short film titled Saint Rose is set to be released in 2024, [12] which has been selected to compete in the Shorts Competition at the Red Sea International Film Festival. [13] The film continues Alexandre's exploration of cultural and societal themes, telling the story of a woman striving to escape a stifling marriage imposed by a conservative society. [14]
| Year | Film | Actor | Role | Writer | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Abroad |  | Jad | | Short film | |
| 2019 | Manara | | Rami | | Short film | |
| 2024 | Saint Rose [15] | Director | | | Short film |
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