THE TRANSLATOR
TFI Suppport
Logline
March 2011. As the Syrian Revolution begins, a political refugee illegally returns to Syria and risks everything to free his brother from the Assad regime.
Rana Kazkaz
Writer, Director
Rana Kazkaz, Syrian-American, cofounded her production company Synéastes Films in 2010 which focuses on stories from the Middle East. Rana is the author and director of four short films and is developing several feature films, including The Translator and Love-45. Her last short film, Mare Nostrum, has been selected in over 70 film festivals, including Sundance, has won 24 international prizes, and is on the short-list for Best Short Film at the French Academy Cesar Awards in 2018. Independently Rana works as a story editor and is co-producing two documentaries. Rana and Anas Khalaf have two children and live in Doha after having left Damascus as a result of the on-going Syrian conflict. Rana holds an MFA in Acting from Carnegie Mellon University/Moscow Art Theater and attended the Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute. Presently, she is Assistant Professor in Residence at Northwestern University in Qatar.
Anas Khalaf
Co-directed, Producer
Anas Khalaf, Syrian-French, cofounded his production company Synéastes Films in 2010. With a focus on films from the Middle East, his work focuses on international co-productions with countries such as France, Jordan, Syria, Australia and the U.S. He is the director or co-director of four short films and is developing several feature films, including The Translator and Love-45. His last short film, Mare Nostrum, has been selected in over 70 film festivals, including Sundance and Dubai, has won 24 international prizes, and is on the short-list for Best Short Film at the French Academy Cesar Awards in 2018. Independently Anas works as an actor in television and film, having been featured in the hit French TV show The Bureau. Anas and Rana Kazkaz have two children and live in Doha after having left Damascus as a result of the on-going Syrian conflict. Anas is a graduate of the Normandy Business School.
Raphaël Alexandre
Producer
Raphaël Alexandre, French, cofounded Paris based Georges Films in 2015 with Nicolas Leprêtre. This production company is dedicated to developing fiction for film, television and new media with the desire to discover and nurture new and experienced directors from around the world. Before that, Raphaël worked as a production manager on feature films, short films and TV, including Vandal (Helier Cisterne), Anything for Alice (Nicolas Cuche), The Grad Job (Antoine Blossier) and Le bureau des légendes (Eric Rochant). In 2016, he produced Mare Nostrum, a short film by Rana Kazkaz and Anas Khalaf, which has been selected in over 70 festivals, including Sundance and Dubai, has won 24 international prizes, and is on the short-list for Best Short Film at the French Academy Cesar Awards in 2018. Raphaël is currently developing two feature films, including The Translator, Rana Kazkaz and Anas Khalaf’s first feature film.
Nicolas Leprêtre
Producer
Nicolas Leprêtre, French, cofounded Paris based Georges Films in 2015 with Raphaël Alexandre. This production company is dedicated to developing fiction for film, television and new media with the desire to discover and nurture new and experienced directors from around the world. Before that, Nicolas worked for eight years at Sombrero Films as a production executive for feature films and as a producer of numerous short films including La vie parisienne (Prix Jean Vigo) and A Whore and a Chick, both of which were nominated for a César. In 2016, he produced Mare Nostrum, a short film by Rana Kazkaz and Anas Khalaf, which has been selected in over 70 festivals, including Sundance and Dubai, has won 24 international prizes, and is on the short-list for Best Short Film at the French Academy Cesar Awards in 2018. Nicolas is currently developing two feature films, including The Translator, Rana Kazkaz and Anas Khalaf’s first feature film.