Growing Up in Jaffa & Getting an Oscar Nomination as a Palestinian Director | Scandar Copti
"In this episode of This is Not a Watermelon podcast, we're joined by Oscar-Nominated and award-winning Palestinian filmmaker, Scandar Copti. We dive into his childhood in Jaffa and growing up in a neighborhood with a rich and tumultuous history like Ajami, to his rise as an acclaimed filmmaker. Scandar shares personal anecdotes about the challenges he faced – including at the Oscars – his unique filmmaking process, and the philosophical underpinnings of his films ""Ajami"" and ""Happy Holidays."" Join us for a captivating conversation about filmmaking, identity, and resistance.
Scandar Copti is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker known for his distinctive approach to working with non-actors. His debut feature film, Ajami, won the Camera d'Or Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards. His second film, Happy Holidays, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2024 and won the Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay. Copti is also the recipient of the prestigious Sutherland Trophy and the Council of Europe Film Award.
Connect with 👉 Scandar
Hosted by 👉 Mikey Muhanna
This Is Not a Watermelon
This podcast series is a celebration and documentation of Palestinian history and culture. We interview experts from various disciplines to help us better understand the facts about Palestine – the land and the people.
