THE SCRIPT PROGRAM

Hayat Al Fahad

Hayat Al Fahad is a Kuwaiti actress who began her career in 1962. Hayat has appeared in numerous TV series and theatre performances, as well as important films, such as Bas ya Bahar. She has started with each of the actors honored with this Lifetime Achievement Award, but some of her most memorable roles have been the countless duos performed with her colleague, Souad Abdullah, including the ever-popular Mahthoutha wa Mabrouka.
Among Hayat’s outstanding performances is the recent TV series Al Jadah Luluwah, which airs on the Orbit Showtime Network and addresses important social issues in Kuwait. Her memorable screen performances and endearing personality have won her repeated honors and awards in Kuwait and throughout the region.

Souad Abdullah

Souad Abdullah is a Kuwaiti Actress who began her career as a child on stage over five decades ago. As Souad’s career grew from there, so did her roles. Staring in over 20 TV series, she has portrayed diverse characters in such projects as Fedda Qalboha Abyad, Ruqeya wa Sepicha, Khalty Qumasha, Darb Al Zalaq, Hajez Al Wahem, Ana Wokty, Khawat Donia, and Zawarat Al Khamis. 

Described, as “The Cinderella of Screen” in the Gulf, Souad is lo

ved and admired by many, and has even been popularly voted as the “Best Gulf Actress.” Married to the well-known director Faisal Dahi and mother of three, Souad is still active today. Among her most recent projects is the Ramadan TV series Al Wajiha, which she described as “a game change in her career.’

Saad Faraj

Saad Al Faraj is a Kuwaiti actor who started his career in theatre in 1958. Known for his unique character and charisma, Sa’ad has been was involved in a total of twenty-eight TV programs, including the still-popular Darab Al-Zalaq, produced in back in 1977.

He has also stared in twenty-five theater plays and two well-known movies: Al-Sedrah and the iconic Bas Ya Bahar, which he helped write with director Khaled Siddiq.

Saad served for several years as the Head of the Drama Section at Kuwait TV and worked as an advisor for drama series on Kuwait TV. Furthermore, he has written various theater plays and TV shows of popular acclaim. Considered one of the exemplary figures of his generation, Saad continues to entertain audiences to this day with his strong persona and captivating screen presence.

Abdulhussain Abdulredha

Abdulhussain Abdulredha, is a Kuwaiti actor and writer known throughout the Arabian Gulf. Born seventh among fourteen siblings, Abdulhussain started his career in 1961 and is still performing today. In addition to his acting, and writing, he is also known for the beauty of his singing voice. Abdulhussain has featured in 25 plays, as well as dozens TV series, movies and operettas. Among his famous works are such titles as Haggard, Saif Al Arab, Darb Al-Zallaq, Al-Aseefa, Bye Bye London, and most recently, the TV series Al-Afoor. One of the founders of the early art movement in Kuwait, Abdulhussain has won several awards throughout his career in countries stretching from Tunisia to Oman. Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters recently named the new Al Salmiya Theatre after him in recognition of his success as one of the preeminent actors of the Arab world.

Abdullah Boushahri

Abdullah Boushahri is a well-known Kuwaiti filmmaker. He is a visual artist and entrepreneur

 who first rose with his first film Kuwaiti Champion which was critically acclaimed as the first Kuwaiti film made in the cinema verite genre. After Abdullah Boushahri attained a Bachelor’s degree in film from Florida Atlantic University, he made his first feature documentary debut Losing Ahmed and premiered at Dubai Film Festival in 2006. Abdullah Boushahri won ‘Best Documentary in the Gulf’ in the year 2007. He also toured more than 30 international film festivals around the world.

In the year 2001, Abdullah Boushahri founded “Beyond Dreams Productions,” then expanded it to Kuwait in the year 2006. The company’s aim was to produce unique films made with an artistic values and a global appeal. In the year 2007, Abdullah and his partners established SYNQ Studios, a Miami based post-production hub. SYNQ Studies, is specialized in animation and visual effects. In addition, it is organized around an exceptional team of technical and digital artists, who bring years of industry experience and credits in several Hollywood films. Some Hollywood films are: “Star Wars,” “300,” “The Mist,” “Underworld Evolution,” “Harry Potter,” “Planet of the Apes,” “The Mummy,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Ice Age,” and many other films and creative projects around the world.

Abdullah’s unconventional business model earned him an accolade as the British Council Entrepreneurs Award of 2009. Abdullah teamed up with MBC in the same year, and produced “The Circle” – MBC’s first ever fiction film. He was later commissioned to produce film and media content for Burj Khalifa and the opening Film for Gulf Film Festival in Dubai. Abdullah directed and produced his short film “Heaven’s Water” in 2010, which was shot completely in Kuwait. Late on, Abdullah produced “The Waves Will Carry Us” as a part of a master class in Dubai with the international renowned Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. In the year 2011, Abdullah Boushahri was the first filmmaker to serve on the jury of the Dubai International Film Festival.

 In the year 2013, Abdullah Boushahri and the Oscar nominee producer Donald Ranvaud co-produced the Italian film “It’s About to Rain”; shot completely in Florence and released at the Italian cinemas. Abdullah continued to develop and produce films regionally and internationally that are both artistically meaningful and commercially viable.

In the year 2014, Abdullah Boushahri joined the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs as Director of the Creative Production Department to help develop and support the creative community in Kuwait. Boushahri won his last award in December 2014. In a glittering ceremony, Emily Blunt presented the IWC (International Watch Company) Filmmakers Award to Abdullah Boushahri for “The Water”. The award was about US$100,000 to help move projects from page to screen. Abdullah Boushahri has been a part of the film industry since 2001 and shall continue to go forth with his creations. 

Iman Najem

Iman Najem began her career as a host on one of the biggest radio broadcast shows in Kuwait. She then diverted to television programming in the early 2000’s. Iman Najem gave a lot to Kuwaiti television, while encouraging other woman to participate in the medium. In 2007, she started doing live TV broadcasting, which gave the Kuwaiti audience anticipation towards live shows. Iman Najem received the “Queen of Her Generation” award, seeing that she motivated most of the TV hosts on air today. She provided more than television and radio programs, however. She is from a family that consists of a father and mother and one single brother. Her brother also studied media for over fourteen (14) years, was born in Leo, and is an employee at the General Administration of Customs. One of her hobbies is collecting quarters (250 fils).

Iman Najem was once asked on TV, “who is your role model in the field of media?”  She answered “I would be false if I said one person. There are many who I admire, even from the world of young media enthusiasts,” She also said “I like to take a flower from every garden,” meaning that she likes to look at every market and media -- not just Kuwait. She added, “from the Arab world I like the simplicity of Amru Adyab, I like the agility of Nishan [a well known Lebanese presenter], I like the encroachment of Hala Sarhan, and when we come to the Kuwaiti presenters, I couldn’t specifically say the names as I am afraid to forget someone.”

She didn’t like working in radio, however, and her dream was to become a singer. After much thought, she saw that radio is the most appropriate place for her, while knowing that her parents did not like the idea of media at all. Iman Najem started to fall in love with media when she was the radio announcer at university. There is just something about you speaking towards a single microphone and having the whole country, place, or geography hear you and connect with you. After joining Marina FM, she become the most listened to radio host in Kuwait. Years passed, and Iman got an offer on Al Watan TV to host a program. She accepted without telling her parents about it. She went on TV for 6 months without her parents knowing about it. They then found out and discovered that she is the “missing star” on television.

In conclusion, “do whatever you want and don’t let anything restrict you on becoming who you want to be.” She adds, “we are put into this life to become something and do what we love. If I have one advice to give to everyone, it is simple: to love what they do, and do what they love.” Iman Najem continues to make her dreams into reality. 

Khalifah R. Alhajri

A practicing artist and scenographer, Khalifah R. Alhajri holds a PhD in “Stage Design” from the University of Leeds and has been teaching in the department of Stage Design at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts since 2007. Alhajri's primary research is in the Arab Theatre and Arab – Muslim Identity.  

He is also interested in ritualistic theater in the Arab-Muslim world.  Since 2010, Alhajri is a Member of the Administrative Board at The Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts – Kuwait and was the head of judges at the Kuwait National Theater Festival in 2012, as well as a judge in the Kuwait Youth theater festival in 2012 and  the Sharjah Theatre festival in 2013.

Jamshid Malekpour

A filmmaker and director of theatre, 

Jamshid Malekpour earned his MA in “theatre and cinema” from the City University of New York and PhD in “drama” from the Australian National University. His motion picture, Red Wind, was selected and screened at the Montreal Film Festival in Canada and Nantes Film Festival in France. He directed plays such as “Macbeth”, “Oedipus King”, “Caligula” and “Antigone”, and published many books on theatre including “the Islamic Drama” and “the History of World Theatre”.