Deema Dabis

Deema Dabis is a Palestinian, Jordanian, American filmmaker ( Writer / Producer / aspiring Director), storyteller and workshop facilitator based out of Amman, Jordan. She is inspired by stories that seamlessly weave together indigenous folklore and mythology with current realities and the unspoken desires that often lurk just beneath the surface of human beings. Her work is female driven and seeks to tell stories that are not often included in the mainstream. She has a BA in Journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and an MFA in Cinematic Storytelling from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts with a focus in screenwriting and editing. Her short film 'Intifadh' (Shake) (2014) was screened at festivals worldwide winning Best Short Film at Tripoli Film Festival and Special Mention from the Jury at the Franco Arab Film Festival. She is developing her semi-autobiographical feature film with her Producer and sister Cherien Dabis ('Amreeka' / 'May in the Summer'). She is also Producing and in post production for the short film 'From the Mountain', a historical narrative film about Sultan Basha Al Atrash, the leader of the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925. She has been selected and attended various workshops and industry events including TV series Development Lab at the Royal Film Commission of Jordan in 2018, Cinephilia Inspire Residency in New York in 2017, Med Film Factory in 2014 and 2018 and RAWI screenwriters Lab in Jordan in 2015. She is passionate about making film and storytelling a tool that is accessible to everyone. She has given film workshops to underprivileged populations in Jordanian towns and refugee camps, teaching filmmaking to students using simple tools like smartphones. She was recently a volunteer for the Sundance Collab Azraq Film School initiative, supporting students in Azraq refugee camp in their film projects. Her love for story has led her to guiding university students from the University of Hamburg, Jordan University and New York University Abu Dhabi in finding creative ways to share personal stories through video and performance.