Acclaimed filmmaker and Syrian native, Ziad Hamzeh, will discuss his films and give an artist’s perspective on the refugee crisis.

A Director, Producer, and Writer, Ziad’s work has earned over 40 awards and honors. Presently Ziad is in pre-production for the film Sushi Tushi slotted to begin filming in New York May 2017. Most recently he produced the film The Flower of Aleppo in Tunis which is slotted to be the opening film at the Carthage Film Festival this October. The film was chosen to be Tunisia’s entry into the 2017 Oscar and the Golden Globe Awards.

In April Ziad’s film Irrefutable Proof swept the Beverly Hills Film Festival earning three top awards. The Golden Palm for Ziad, Best actress, and best cinematography. Ziad shared The Abu Dhabi Film Festival’s Black Pearl Award for Best Producer with acclaimed Tunisian filmmaker Ridha Behi for Always Brando, which had its world premiere at The Toronto International Film Festival. Always Brando also received the Jury prize at The Algerian Film Festival and the Best Picture Award at The Alexandria Film Festival.

Ziad teaches advanced and graduate classes in filmmaking at Lesky University and Emerson College.  He earned an M.F.A. in directing from California State University, Fullerton, an M.A. in writing and criticism from California State University, Los Angeles, and a BA in theatre from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.