Amar Chebib
Directing
Biography
Syrian-Canadian filmmaker Amar Chebib began making videos while growing up skateboarding in the Middle East. He has since directed various award-winning short films and commercials, as well as a feature documentary about three Syrian musicians turned refugees. Amar resides with his wife on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territory in Vancouver.
Known For
Joe Buffalo, an Indigenous skateboard legend and Indian Residential School survivor, must face his inner demons to realize his dream of turning pro.
Joe Buffalo
Shot initially in Syria prior to the civil war, Wajd is a window into the lives of three Syrian refugee musicians as they face their traumatic experiences. Verite footage of their daily lives weaves together with bittersweet musical performances, traditional Su ceremonies, and poetic imagery of a pre-war Syria that no longer exists. What unfolds is a cinematic meditation on loss, yearning, and faith.
Wajd: Songs of Separation
After suffering from suicidal depression, Darius Sam, a 20-year-old from Lower Nicola First Nation, finds running as a catalyst for transformation. Within a matter of months, he attempts a 100-mile ultramarathon in subzero temperatures to raise awareness for addiction and mental health in his community.