Wissam Smayra
His work garnered numerous accolades at prestigious events including Cannes Lions, the Epica Awards, and Dubai Lynx, consolidating his standing as an eminent figure in the industry.Smayra directed the music video to Myriam Fares's song "Haklak Rahtak حقلق راحتك" (trans: "I Will Disturb Your Comfort") in 2006 in Paris starring French actor Lannick Gautry.That same year, Smayra also directed Fares's "Waheshni Eih وحشني ايه" (trans: "How Come I miss you") shot in Beirut one week before the 2006 Lebanon War.[19] The film stars Rosamund Pike, Shiloh Fernandez, and Nick Nolte, and tells the story of Miranda Wells, a nurse in a small town, who experiences a traumatic incident when she is assaulted and raped by a man named William Finn.This Netflix's inaugural Arab original film addressed themes of women's emancipation and LGBTQ rights, sparking significant controversy in the Middle East and Western Asia.[21] Audience response During its initial week of release, Perfect Strangers achieved the status of being the most-watched film on Netflix in various Arab nations and secured the second spot in France.However, its adherence to the original Italian source material, which includes explicit content such as sexual references, obscenities, infidelities, and the portrayal of a homosexual character,[22] generated significant negative feedback on social media.Prominent figures like Egyptian lawyer Ayman Mahfouz went as far as labeling the film a "plot to disrupt Arab society," planning legal action to have it removed from Netflix.[23] Mahfouz objected to Zaki's character, highlighting instances of drinking and provocative scenes, despite the absence of visual nudity in the entire film.In contrast, Saudi actor Nasser Al Qasabi, while enjoying the film's dialogue and direction, criticized Netflix for promoting homosexuality, expressing concerns about its impact on future Arab productions.[25] Numerous Arab actors, including Amr Waked, Hend Sabry, Ahmad Fahmy, and Ghada Abdel Razek, expressed their support for Mona Zaki amidst the social media backlash.He is best friends with Academy award nominated director Nadine Labaki, composer Khaled Mouzanar, and renowned politologist Sara El-Yafi.