{{Short description|Egyptian-American film director, screenwriter, and producer}} {{Infobox person | name = Sam Abbas | image = SamAbbasJune2024NYC.jpg | caption = Abbas at the Museum of Modern Art | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1993|11|11}} | birth_place = Alexandria, Egypt | occupation = Film director, screenwriter, actor, producer | notable_works = Europe's New Faces, ''The Wedding'', ''Alia's Birth'', Marie | website = https://samabbasfilms.com }}
'''Sam Abbas''' (Arabic: سام عباس; born 11 November 1993) is an Egyptian-American film director, screenwriter, and producer.<ref name="Hollywood Reporter">{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/berlin-egyptian-filmmaker-launches-lgbtq-focused-production-company-1087786|title=Berlin: Egyptian Filmmaker Launches LGBTQ-Focused Production Company|newspaper=HollywoodReporter.com|date=2018-02-23|accessdate=2018-06-14}}</ref> He is noted for his artfully composed, poetic, and incident-light tableaus film style.<ref name="Variety">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/film-news-in-brief-2-1234705448|title= Egyptian Filmmaker Sam Abbas Captures Reopening of Louvre Museum|newspaper=Variety|date=2020-07-18}}</ref><ref name="IndieWire">{{cite news|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/08/the-wedding-trailer-gay-muslim-movie-1201997493|title= 'The Wedding' Trailer: The Egyptian Queer Film Getting Secret Screenings in the Middle East|newspaper=IndieWire|date=2018-08-24}}</ref>
==Career== Prior to his first feature, Abbas's short film Time to Come was labeled as "a really powerful project," by LogoTV.<ref name="Logo NewNowNext">{{cite news |title=Gay Muslim Torn Between Love And Family In Sam Abbas' "Time To Come" |url=http://www.newnownext.com/gay-muslim-torn-between-love-and-family-in-sam-abbas-time-to-come/03/2016 |accessdate=2018-06-14}}</ref><ref name="GLAAD Wrap">{{cite news |title=The GLAAD Wrap: Tribeca line up announced; Jonathan Groff books lead role in Netflix show; and more! |url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-wrap-tribeca-line-annouced-jonathan-groff-books-lead-role-netflix-show-and-more |accessdate=2018-06-14 |archive-date=2018-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925065445/https://www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-wrap-tribeca-line-annouced-jonathan-groff-books-lead-role-netflix-show-and-more |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2018, Abbas executive produced ''Lavender'' by Matthew Puccini which screened at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival followed by the 2019 SXSW. The film was immediately picked up by Fox Searchlight Pictures, making it one of the first films bought at Sundance that year.<ref name="The Hollywood Reporter">{{cite news |date=2020-01-26 |title=Sundance: Fox Searchlight Picks Up Short Film 'Lavender' |newspaper=Hollywoodreporter.com |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-searchlight-takes-lavender-starring-michael-urie-1179447 |accessdate=2020-01-26}}</ref>
''The Hollywood Reporter'' exclusively released the trailer for Abbas' first full-length feature, ''The Wedding'', in August 2018. Immediately after the trailer's release, the film was called, "the queer movie that could make waves in the Middle East" and "a film that will make a fuss in theaters".<ref name="HuffingtonPost">{{cite news |date=2018-08-23 |title='Catch A Sneak Peek At The Queer Movie That Could Make Waves In The Middle East |newspaper=Huffington Post |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-wedding-lgbtq-film-middle-east_us_5b7dc30be4b07295150f7691}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title="الزفاف": قصة شاب يعيش صراعاً داخلياً للتوفيق بين مثليته ودينه وزفافه |url=https://raseef22.com/life/2018/08/24/الزفاف-قصة-شاب-يعيش-صراعاً-داخلياً-لل/ |accessdate=August 28, 2018 |website=Raseef22|date=24 August 2018 }}</ref> In November 2018 the film was released theatrically and secretly throughout the Middle East.<ref name="Hollywood Reporter Exclusive">{{cite news |date=2018-08-23 |title=The Wedding Trailer: Closeted Muslim Man Prepares for Straight Wedding (Exclusive) |newspaper=HollywoodReporter.com |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wedding-trailer-closeted-muslim-man-prepares-straight-wedding-1135533}}</ref>
Abbas' ''Alia's Birth'', his second full-length feature, received attention following the announcement of a female-driven short film contest in which the winner gets to have their film included within the narrative. The film stars Nikohl Boosheri, Poorna Jagannathan, Samuel H. Levine and Maya Kazan.<ref name="The HollywoodReporter News">{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/egyptian-director-sam-abbas-launches-contest-female-filmmakers-1208828|title=Egyptian Director Sam Abbas Launches Contest for Female Filmmakers (Exclusive)|newspaper=thr.com|date=2020-01-26|accessdate=2020-01-26}}</ref><ref name="THR">{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/poorna-jagannathan-nikohl-boosheri-lead-lgbtq-drama-alia-s-birth-1204042|title='The Night Of,' 'The Bold Type' Stars to Lead LGBTQ Drama 'Alia's Birth' (Exclusive)|newspaper=Hollywoodreporter.com|date=2020-01-26|accessdate=2020-01-26}}</ref><ref name="Deadline News">{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/eddie-marsan-david-morse-diora-baird-the-virtuoso-matthew-lawrence-cara-santana-harley-quinn-smith-kurt-indie-1202615611|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516195445/https://deadline.com/2019/05/eddie-marsan-david-morse-diora-baird-the-virtuoso-matthew-lawrence-cara-santana-harley-quinn-smith-kurt-indie-1202615611/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 16, 2019|title='Actors Samuel H. Levine (Bull, Red Oaks), Maya Kazan (The Unicorn, Boardwalk Empire), and Edward Akrout (Turn, Gypsy) have been added to the cast of Sam Abbas' indie drama, Alia's Birth|newspaper=Deadline|date=2020-01-26|accessdate=2020-01-26}}</ref> In May 2020, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' released a first-look of the feature with major information.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/first-look-photo-sam-abbas-lgbtq-drama-alias-birth-1292783|title=First-Look Photo: Sam Abbas' LGBTQ Drama 'Alia's Birth' |website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 2020 |accessdate=May 1, 2020}}</ref> The film premiered on August 26, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gqmiddleeast.com/culture/alias-birth-director-sam-abbas-doesnt-write-scripts|title=Alia's Birth Director Sam Abbas Doesn't Write Scripts|work=GQ|first=Aravin|last=Sandran|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gqmiddleeast.com/culture/alias-birth-director-sam-abbas-doesnt-write-scripts|title=ARCHIVE Alia's Birth Director Sam Abbas Doesn't Write Scripts|work=GQ|first=Aravin|last=Sandran|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=August 24, 2021|archive-date=August 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825020924/https://www.gqmiddleeast.com/culture/alias-birth-director-sam-abbas-doesnt-write-scripts|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>
On July 13, 2020, Abbas released a 2.5 minute short documentary, Rusted Caravaggios, about the first public invitation to the Louvre Museum (Monday July 6, 2020) following an unprecedented four-month closure.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/paris-louvre-4month-closure-short-film-rusted-caravaggios-1202983934|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713112347/https://deadline.com/2020/07/paris-louvre-4month-closure-short-film-rusted-caravaggios-1202983934/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 13, 2020|title=Go Inside The Paris Louvre After 4-Month Closure With Short Film 'Rusted Caravaggios'|website=Deadline|date=13 July 2020 |accessdate=16 July 2020}}</ref>
Shortly after ''Variety'' revealed that Abbas had teamed with leading cinematographers from around the world to create the documentary Erēmīta (Anthologies).<ref name="Variety First-Look">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2020/artisans/news/eremita-anthology-pandemic-documentary-1234720980/|title='Documentary Anthology Shot By Sam Abbas During Pandemic Plans Winter Festival Run'|accessdate=2020-08-01}}</ref> The anthology of shorts composed during the 2020 pandemic was both produced and curated by Abbas.
A few years later, ''Deadline'' separately unveiled two projects: a short film, Obstaculum, and a feature film, Europe's New Faces, both focused on migration. Abbas took on all roles, directing, producing, photographing, and editing both films. The short film was released on November 27, 2024, on YouTube, capturing people from the Ivory Coast, Gambia, Senegal, Sudan, Chad, Eritrea, and Ethiopia as they attempt to occupy an abandoned art school in Paris. The film explored the human implication of these illegal occupations from the side of both the migrants and the police.<ref name="Deadline Obstaculum First-Look">{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/video/obstaculum-first-look-sam-abbas-migrant-crisis-paris/|title='Obstaculum' First Look: 'The Wedding' & 'Alia's Birth' Director Sam Abbas Teases New Film Exploring Migrant Crisis In Paris|accessdate=2025-01-18}}</ref><ref name="Obstaculum Review">{{cite news|url=https://filmthreat.com/reviews/obstaculum/|title='Obstaculum' Review|accessdate=2025-01-18}}</ref>
The feature, Europe's New Faces, was revealed on January 15, 2025, with a first look that included information about the music, composed by filmmaker and composer Bertrand Bonello, known for his work on ''The Beast'' and ''Saint Laurent''.<ref name="Europe's New Faces First-Look">{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/sam-abbas-migrant-movie-europes-new-faces-bertrand-bonello-1236257537/|title=Sam Abbas Unveils Movie 'Europe's New Faces' Featuring Music By Bertrand Bonello|accessdate=2025-01-18}}</ref> The film premiered at the Museum of Modern Art Feb 28th, 2025.<ref name="Europe’s New Faces 2025 Directed by Sam Abbas">{{cite news|url=https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/10313|title=Europe’s New Faces 2025 Directed by Sam Abbas|accessdate=2025-01-18}}</ref> Murtada Elfadl of ''Variety'' gave the film a positive review writing, “The painstaking detail in which Abbas crafts this story is certainly powerful." <ref name="‘Europe’s New Faces’ Review: An Intimate Portrait of Displacement Reframes the Immigration Narrative">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/europes-new-faces-review-1236606647/|title=‘Europe’s New Faces’ Review: An Intimate Portrait of Displacement Reframes the Immigration Narrative|accessdate=2025-05-05}}</ref>
== ArabQ == In 2018, Abbas launched ArabQ, the first Arab-based film production company focusing on movies with LGBTQ themes, during the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.<ref name="Hollywood Reporter" /> ArabQ launched with Abbas' feature film debut, ''The Wedding'', which he wrote, directed, and starred in alongside Nikohl Boosheri.<ref name="Deadline">{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/08/nikohl-boosheri-sam-abbas-the-wedding-movie-lance-lim-elizabeth-crossing-movie-1202156389|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825222951/http://deadline.com/2017/08/nikohl-boosheri-sam-abbas-the-wedding-movie-lance-lim-elizabeth-crossing-movie-1202156389/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 25, 2017|title=Nikohl Boosheri, Sam Abbas Star In 'The Wedding'|newspaper=Deadline|date=2017-08-25|accessdate=2018-06-14}}</ref><ref name="Yahoo News">{{cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/nikohl-boosheri-sam-abbas-star-193243001.html|title=Sam Abbas Star In 'The Wedding'|newspaper=yahoo.com|accessdate=2018-06-14}}</ref><ref name="PrideSource">{{cite news|url=https://pridesource.com/article/82941-2|title=Deep Inside Hollywood|accessdate=2018-06-14}}</ref><ref name="Straight">{{cite news|url=https://www.straight.com/movies/957236/vancouver-raised-actor-nikohl-boosheri-will-star-wedding-sam-abbas|title=Vancouver-raised actor Nikohl Boosheri will star in The Wedding with Sam Abbas|accessdate=2018-06-14}}</ref> Abbas placed the company in Egypt to encourage more queer cinema with Middle East ties.<ref name="The GLAAD">{{cite news|url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-wrap-lena-waithe-signs-deal-jussie-smollett-releases-debut-album-and-more|title=Egyptian Filmmaker Sam Abbas|newspaper=glaad.org|accessdate=2018-06-14|archive-date=2022-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117075702/https://www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-wrap-lena-waithe-signs-deal-jussie-smollett-releases-debut-album-and-more|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The company closed in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vivarelli |first=Nick |date=2020-10-28 |title=Egyptian Filmmaker Sam Abbas Shutters LGBTQ Shingle ArabQ, Launches New Outfit (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/sam-abbas-lgbtq-arabq-maxxie-suzzee-cinema-1234817580/ |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:33px;" | Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:250px;" | Film ! colspan="5" | Functioned as ! rowspan="2" | Notes |- ! style="width:65px;" | Director ! style="width:65px;" | Writer ! style="width:65px;" | Producer ! style="width:65px;" | Cinematographer ! style="width:65px;" | Actor |- | 2016 | ''Time to Come'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | |- | 2018 | ''I want more, I want less''<ref name="GrandCinema">{{cite news|url=http://www.grandcinema.com/gcblog/bryce-richardson-interview-want-more|title='I want more, I want less interview'|accessdate=2018-11-27}}</ref> | | | | | {{yes}} | |- | 2018 | ''The Wedding'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | |- | 2019 | ''Lavender'' | | | {{yes}} | | | Executive producer<ref name="Sundance Institute">{{cite news|url=http://www.sundance.org/projects/lavender|title='Lavender'|accessdate=2019-01-24|archive-date=2019-04-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421125230/https://www.sundance.org/projects/lavender|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Backstage">{{cite news|url=https://www.backstage.com/casting/lavender-lgbt-short-film-227264|title='Lavender' - LGBT Short Film|accessdate=2018-06-14}}</ref> |- | 2020 | ''Marie'' | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | | | Was eligible for the 93rd Academy Awards<ref name="FilmNewsUnitedKingdom">{{cite news|url=https://www.film-news.co.uk/news/Underground/78007/Marie-an-observation-of-labor-during-a-home-birth|title=Marie an observation of labor during a home-birth|newspaper=FILM-NEWS.CO.UK|accessdate=2020-10-13}}</ref> |- | 2020 | ''Alia's Birth'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | | |- | 2020 | ''Rusted Caravaggios'' | {{yes}} | | | {{yes}} | | Premiered exclusively on ''Deadline''<ref name="DEADLINE">{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/paris-louvre-4month-closure-short-film-rusted-caravaggios-1202983934/|title='Rusted Caravaggios'|accessdate=2020-07-16}}</ref> |- | 2021 | ''Erēmīta (Anthologies)'' | {{yes}} | | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | |- | 2023 | ''Obstaculum'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | One-week short-film release announced on ''Deadline''<ref name="FirstLook Deadline">{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/video/obstaculum-first-look-sam-abbas-migrant-crisis-paris/|title='Obstaculum New Film Exploring Migrant Crisis In Paris'|accessdate=2023-03-03}}</ref> |- | 2025 | ''Europe's New Faces'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | | |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * {{Official website|1=https://www.samabbasfilms.com}} * {{IMDb name|5841141}}
{{authority control}} {{Sam Abbas|state=expanded}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbas, Sam}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Egyptian actors Category:21st-century Egyptian writers Category:Egyptian film directors Category:Egyptian male film actors Category:Egyptian screenwriters Category:Queer male actors Category:Queer screenwriters Category:Writers from Alexandria