Screening: Step by Step and Stars in Broad Daylight

September 29, 2018 | 3:00PM

More information at : http://ccct.uchicago.edu/events/

ABOUT THE FILM DIRECTOR - SCRIPT WRITER Born in Lattakiya in 1954, Ossama Mohammed graduated from the Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in 1979. His first short documentary".. Khutwa Khutwa" (Step by Step-1978), a film that touched the secret transformation of poor innocent children into soldiers and stand-by killers. It was selected after 35 years to the official selection Berlin 2013. His first fiction feature Nujum al-Nahar (Stars in Broad Daylight) in 1988 was deemed by many to be the most scathing critique of contemporary Syrian society trapped in the iron grip of the Baath regime, the film has never been allowed a public screening in Syria. The film was selected at the Cannes Film Festival's Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, and earned the filmmaker great critical praise, including the Golden palm at the Valencia Festival in the same year.

He was unable to make his second feature until 2002. Sunduq al-Dunya(Sacrifices, 2002), was selected for the Cannes Film Festival's section Un Certain Regard in 2002. Complex and visually stunning, the film has confirmed its maker as one of the Soviet film school's graduates most individual and masterful filmmakers.

After 2011 in the forced exile in Paris, he began a new cinematic adventure : “ Silvered Water , Syria Self- Portrait ”, Cannes official selection-2014 an innovative proposal for Cinema Author. Syrian tragedy Shot by "1,001 Syrians” Ossama's film is composed of a thousand images filmed by a thousand Syrian anonymous authors.

Grierson Award London Film Festival 2014, !f Istanbul’s Love & Change competition award 2015

Awards of Excellence ,YAMAGATA Film Festival 2015

* Prince Claus Award in 2015 for his cinematographic and humanitarian biography

* Ossama served as Juror, Tutor and Speaker in many festivals and workshops, including Cannes, Berlin, Abu Dhabi, Doha, MOMA, DOX BOX.