Lebanese actress Darina al Jondi is gearing up to debut in direction through her short narrative film Salamat (Salutes) that explores the story of three sisters from the humanitarian point of view.
“My film will mark the beginning of a long narration work which I will gear up when production and implementation conditions are met,” Jondi told the London based Arabic daily al Sharq al Awsat.
In 1987, Jondi was tapped from among 14 Arab actresses tested by the Iraqi director Qasem Hawal for the purpose of implementing his narrative film al Bahth A’n Laila al A’miriyyah (Search for Laila al A’miriyyah). Shooting of this film took two years in 14 countries.
Syria was the second station in the course of Jondi’s career where she worked for the Syrian TV along with Haitham Haqqi. Also in Egypt she collaborated with Hasan al Juraiki in the theater and with Nabihah Lutfi in direction.
The Lebanese actress included Greece in her artistic journey as she involved herself in a gesture troupe for Gibsy children who live on mountains in addition to her work with a Libyan director.
In Lebanon, Jondi implemented many projects including al An al Awan (Now is the Time), Ashbah Beirut (Beirut’s Ghosts), Tal al Ramad (Hill of Ashes), al Osaj and al Mawt al Qadem Min al Sharq (Death Coming From East) along with Najdat Anzur in addition to Nisaa A’shikat (Women in Love).
The young actress wants to play the role as Mexican Drawer Freda Carro whose character and biography she loves. She and her sister own a company for the production and sales of films in Lebanon.
About her dreams, she said, “we don’t want the Lebanese audience to be restricted with the American films as there are very important films in Europe and the south that can compete with commercial films. Our company practically applies this dream as it has imported a caravan for mobile cinema and sent it to the farthest Lebanese areas.”
“The importance of this type of cinema lies in the fact that it spreads good art which is different from horror and killing in the American movies,” said Jondi -- Albawaba.com
