Nabil Abou-Harb
Nabil Abou-Harb | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 13, 1984 Marietta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Filmmaker, writer, producer, director |
| Known for | Arab in America |
Nabil Zouheir Abou-Harb (; born September 13, 1984) is a filmmaker, writer, producer, and director based in the United States. He is a co-founder of Five on Fifty Films and has been involved in directing and producing numerous commercials.
Early life and education
Nabil was born in Marietta, Georgia, to parents Zouheir and Sally Cardinali Abou-Harb and grew up in Loganville, Georgia. He completed his studies at Loganville High School in 2003.
During his final year of high school, Abou-Harb wrote and directed a film titled Starwars: Rise of the Black Sun. After obtaining his CCNA certification, he partnered with Nicholas Bowman to establish Decaphase Productions, Inc., a company specializing in web design. Despite initial enthusiasm for the film project, they decided to set it aside to focus on higher education.
While Bowman pursued a bachelor's degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Abou-Harb earned a portfolio scholarship to attend Savannah College of Art and Design based on his Star Wars fan film trailer. He graduated in 2007 with a degree in film and television.
A two-minute trailer from Star Wars: Rise of the Black Sun was showcased on the student news program at Loganville High School and later uploaded online.
Arab in America
In his senior year, Abou-Harb co-authored a fifteen-page comedic screenplay entitled Arab in America. The narrative centers on Osama Ahmed Abou-Bakr, an American-born graduate who encounters employment challenges due to post-9/11 prejudice. To overcome discrimination, he adopts the name "Samuel Adam Baker," quickly securing a lucrative job but facing difficulties sustaining the façade. The plot reflects real-life experiences impacting Abou-Harb's family.
The screenplay’s combination of humor and social insight garnered enthusiasm from both students and faculty members. This support led Abou-Harb to connect with Nic Applegate, an investor and contractor from Savannah, who fully financed the project and became an equal partner in their production company, Five on Fifty Films.
Filming took place over twelve days across Savannah and Atlanta. The short film debuted at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and had its U.S. premiere at the Arabian Sights Film Festival in Washington D.C., where it received the Audience Award for Best Short Film.
Arab in America: The feature
Following interest from talent agencies and production firms, Nabil Abou-Harb along with co-writers Thomas Verrette and Colin Ferri, as well as Nic Applegate, are currently preparing for a feature-length adaptation. Five on Fifty Films intends to independently produce this project; the script has recently been finalized and funding discussions are ongoing.
Awards and recognition
Arab in America earned the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Arabian Sights Film Festival hosted by The Washington D.C. International Film Festival. Additionally, it won the Grand Prize at the 2008 One Nation Many Voices Online Film Contest.
External links
- Arab in America official website
- Filmfest DC 2007 Winner of the 2007 Short Film Audience Award
- American graphic designers
- Muslims from Georgia (U.S. state)
- American people of Palestinian descent
- American male screenwriters
- People from Marietta, Georgia
- People from Loganville, Georgia
- Living people
- 1984 births
- Savannah College of Art and Design alumni
- Film directors from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Screenwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)