Sameh Zoabi is an award-winning Palestinian filmmaker and director. He was born in the town of Iksal in Northern Israel in 1975. He graduated from the Sam Spiegel Film & Television School in Jerusalem and subsequently earned his Master’s Degree in directing from the University of Southern California.
Zoabi is known for his creative and thought-provoking films that explore the complexities of life in Palestine and the Middle East. His debut feature film, “Man Without a Cell Phone” (2010), won multiple international awards and was screened at more than thirty international film festivals. The film tells the story of a young man, played by Saleh Bakri, who must decide between a traditional, rural way of life and the modern world of technology.
In 2014, Zoabi released “Under the Same Sun,” a film which explores the relationship between two young Palestinians, one from the West Bank and the other from the Gaza Strip, and the difficulties they face in trying to make a living together. The film won the Best Picture award at the Dubai International Film Festival and was one of the first feature films to be shot simultaneously in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In 2018, Zoabi released “Taybeh”, a comedy-drama set in a small Palestinian Christian town of the same name. The film follows two brothers who struggle to keep their family business afloat while dealing with the everyday frustrations of life in the occupied territories. The film won the Best Picture award at the Haifa International Film Festival.
Zoabi’s latest film, “Tel Aviv on Fire” (2018), is a comedy-drama set in the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film follows a young Palestinian writer who is employed as a scriptwriter on a popular soap opera and finds himself caught up in the political machinations of both sides of the conflict. The film was an official selection at the Venice International Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
Through his films, Zoabi has been able to offer a unique perspective on the Palestinian experience. His films have been widely acclaimed for their originality and for their ability to tell stories that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. Zoabi’s work has been praised for its insight and complexity, and has earned him numerous awards and accolades.
