Anouar H. Smaine

Anouar H. Smaine (born 1976) [1] is an American film director,[2][3] producer, actor, and screenwriter of Algerian [4] descent. He is the son of a French professor, and an actor and playwright.[5]

Anouar H. Smaine
Born1976 (age 43–44)
Algiers, Alger, Algeria
Alma materEastern Michigan University New York Film Academy
OccupationFilm Director, Producer, Actor, Screenwriter
Years active1987-present
Websitewww.anouarhsmaine.com

Personal life

Anouar H. Smaine was born in Algiers, Algeria in a family of artists,[6][7] revolutionaries [8][9][10][11] , and politicians.[12] His mother was a French professor and his father an actor, director and playwright. Due to the nature of his father's work in film and theatre, Smaine grew up travelling between the cities of Algiers, Constantine, and Paris before moving to the United States in his teen years. For him, the early 1990s were times of uncertainty, reflection, and even confusion as his native country of Algeria sank into a violent civil war which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people amongst which were many of his father's artist friends, journalists, and intellectuals [13][14] making him fear for the life of his own father for over a decade. Having lost some family members as well as childhood friends in the Algerian civil war, Anouar often wondered about how to bring people with conflicting views of the world to talk to one another, understand each other's points of views, respect differences that exist in the world, and finally live in peace. The answer would come to him many years later when he would use his filmmaking and storytelling to tell stories of human conflict and misunderstandings,[15] dialogue and universal brotherhood.

Education

Smaine received his B.A. in Computer Information Systems and Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University[16] and two master's degrees in Arts and Public Administration/Political Science from Eastern Michigan University.[17] He also attended film school at the New York Film Academy [18] in Los Angeles, California and received his training in directing, producing and screenwriting.

Career

Smaine's immersion in the arts and film in particular, started at a very early age. As both his parents were busy with their respective careers, his father would often take him to different film sets and play rehearsals he was involved in. At the age of 9 he took his first acting steps in "Cri de pierre" [19][20][21] (Translated as "Cry of Stone"); a social drama. In Paris, Anouar H. Smaine learned more about the impact of the arts on the human condition, human history and world cultures. Under the influence of his father and some artists who were family friends, he became more acquainted and drawn into the world of theater and drama (among those are French playwright Henri Cordreaux,[22] comedian Hassan Belhadj, and international painter Jean Pierre Bellan [23]). After moving to the US and completing all of his formal education, he began a long and arduous journey of collaborating with a diverse array of filmmakers in Los Angeles. His writing, directing, producing, and acting included different films amongst which are "Axis of Evil",[24] "Honor Among Thieves",[1] "Reign", "Sharia",[25][26] "12 Strong", and the latest "Battle Fields" [27][28][29][30][31] in which he brings to the big screen the story of a US veteran of the Iraq war (played by Sean Stone - son of film director Oliver Stone) and an Iraqi driver living in Los Angeles as a refugee (played by Anouar H. Smaine himself). The film aims to raise awareness about post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans and civilians alike and also attempts to highlight the humanity that exists in people regardless of race, faith, or nationality.

Filmography
As actor
  • Cri de pierre (1986) as Reda
  • Axis of Evil (2010) as Hossam
  • Reign (2012) as Faisal
  • Sharia (2014) as Robert Brooks
  • Honor Among Thieves (2013) as Vincent
  • Battle Fields (2017) as Rasheed Al Mashta
  • 12 Strong (2018) as Talib
  • Fruit of my Honor (2018) as Nabeel
As director, producer, screenwriter
  • Axis of Evil (2010) (as writer, producer, director)
  • Menages (2011) (as producer)
  • Honor Among Thieves (2013) (as producer)
  • Screw it (2010) (as producer)
  • Sharia (2014) (as producer, director, writer)
  • Battle Fields (2017) (as writer, director, producer)

References
  1. "Short Films". JPAfilms. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  2. "Sharia film screening and Q & A with alumnus Film Director Anouar H. Smaine". Eastern Michigan University International Week. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  3. "Rejected by Sundance, Arab Immigrant's life turned upside down in Anouar H. Smaine's "Sharia"". Indiewire. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  4. "Anouar Hadj Smaïne en lice pour le prix du meilleur réalisateur dans un festival à Los Angeles". Anouar Hadj Smaïne en lice pour le prix du meilleur réalisateur dans un festival à Los Angeles (in French). Archived from the original on 2018-02-05. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  5. "Sur les planches du TNA : Hommage à Hadj Smaïl". www.elmoudjahid.com. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  6. Romani, Rebecca. "'Battle of Algiers' Still Gripping In Restored New Print". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  7. "Constantine, cité des sciences et de la culture | memoria.dz". www.memoria.dz. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  8. "Organigramme de la Zone autonome d'Alger". Zone Autonome D'alger. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  9. Delmas, Jean (2007-03-21). La bataille d'Alger (in French). Larousse. ISBN 9782035854773.
  10. Malek Bennabi: Le FLN vu par Malek Bennabi (1905-1973) p41
  11. "Germaine Tillion » Rappel de quelques dates et faits". www.germaine-tillion.org (in French). Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  12. Ottaway, David; Ottaway, Marina (1970). Algeria: The Politics of a Socialist Revolution. University of California Press.
  13. Drozdiak, William (1993-06-27). "INTELLECTUALS BEING KILLED IN ALGERIA". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  14. Stora, Benjamin (2001). Algeria, 1830-2000: A Short History. Cornell University Press. p. 216. ISBN 0801437156. List of artists killed in Algeria's civil war.
  15. "2015 Films". Borrego Springs Film Festival. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  16. Eastern Michigan University, Political Science Department
  17. Notable Eastern Michigan University Alumni
  18. Notable New York Film Academy Alumni
  19. Armes, Roy (2008). Dictionary of African Filmmakers. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0253351162.
  20. Gugler, Josef (2011-01-15). Film in the Middle East and North Africa: Creative Dissidence. University of Texas Press. ISBN 9780292723276.
  21. Leaman, Oliver (2003-12-16). Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. Routledge. ISBN 9781134662524.
  22. "LE CENTRE REGIONAL D'ART DRAMATIQUE D'ALGER". André se souvient... (in French). Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  23. "Jean-Pierre BELLAN". www.jeanpierrebellan.fr (in French). Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  24. "2010 (I) Winners". thelamovieawards.com. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  25. "Featured Archives | Page 32 of 81 |". www.ecufilmfestival.com (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  26. "8ème Panorama du Cinéma Algérien. 29 octobre 2015, soirée de cinéma exceptionnelle en présence des réalisateurs et comédiens algériens. Auditorium du Conseil Départemental à partir de 18 heures. Venez rencontrer ces artistes, participer à cette rencontre tout à fait unique. - Bienvenue sur le site du 9ème Panorama du Cinéma Algérien". Bienvenue sur le site du 9ème Panorama du Cinéma Algérien (in French). 2015-10-28. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  27. "Dipse.net - Anouar H. Smaine – Circassian culture is very rich, very diverse, and very folkloric". www.dipse.net. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  28. ""BATTLE FIELDS" BY ANOUAR H. SMAINE". Dipse.net. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  29. "Cinematographer Yan Rymsha Wraps Production on the Dramatic War Film 'Battle Fields'". EIN Presswire. 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  30. "ANOUAR H. SMAINE:"TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT VOICELESS PEOPLE, THEY ARE NOT INVISIBLE, THEY ARE REAL AND EXIST"". Dipse.net. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  31. "Cinematographer Yan Rymsha's Skills Shine Bright in a Diverse Range of Films". internationalfilmreview. 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
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