I am Liwaa Yazji, a filmmaker, poet, playwright, and screenwriter from Syria. I studied English literature (1999) and Theater Studies (2003) in Syria and have since built a career spanning film, theatre, and television, working as a dramaturge, assistant director, tutor, and curator. I am deeply committed to storytelling that explores memory, displacement, and resilience, and I have pursued projects from feature films to stage plays and documentaries across the Arab world. My work has taken me from Damascus to New York and London, including notable projects such as Goats, The Brothers, and Haunted, with residencies and festival screenings around the world. I continue to develop new work, collaborate with international artists, and support emerging voices in the Arab theatre and film communities.

Liwaa Yazji

I am Liwaa Yazji, a filmmaker, poet, playwright, and screenwriter from Syria. I studied English literature (1999) and Theater Studies (2003) in Syria and have since built a career spanning film, theatre, and television, working as a dramaturge, assistant director, tutor, and curator. I am deeply committed to storytelling that explores memory, displacement, and resilience, and I have pursued projects from feature films to stage plays and documentaries across the Arab world. My work has taken me from Damascus to New York and London, including notable projects such as Goats, The Brothers, and Haunted, with residencies and festival screenings around the world. I continue to develop new work, collaborate with international artists, and support emerging voices in the Arab theatre and film communities.

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I am Liwaa Yazji, a filmmaker, poet, playwright, and screenwriter from Syria. I studied English literature (1999) and Theater Studies (2003) in Syria and have since built a career spanning film, theatre, and television, working as a dramaturge, assistant director, tutor, and curator. I am deeply committed to storytelling that explores memory, displacement, and resilience, and I have pursued projects from feature films to stage plays and documentaries across the Arab world.
My work has taken me from Damascus to New York and London, including notable projects such as Goats, The Brothers, and Haunted, with residencies and festival screenings around the world. I continue to develop new work, collaborate with international artists, and support emerging voices in the Arab theatre and film communities.

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Experience Level

Intermediate
Intermediate

Language

Work Experience

Supervisor Tutor at High Institute for Drama Arts, Damascus
January 1, 2005 - December 31, 2007
Supervised acting students and contributed as a tutor in drama and theatre studies.
Dramaturge / Assistant Director at Various Syrian theatres
January 1, 2003 - December 31, 2007
Dramaturge and assistant director in multiple performances after graduation.
Programming Supervisor at Damascus Capital of Culture
January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008
Oversaw programming of Syrian performances for the Damascus Capital of Culture 2008.
Curator / Committee Member at Syrian Opera House
January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009
Member of the curating committee in 2009.
Actress at September Rain (Feature Film)
January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009
Actress in the feature film September Rain (2009).
Assistant Director at Windows of the Soul
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2011
Assistant director on the docu-drama Windows of the Soul (2011).
Writer at The Brothers (pan-Arab miniseries)
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014
Wrote The Brothers, a pan-Arab miniseries produced and aired on major channels (2014).
Playwright / Playwright-Director at Goats (the play)
January 1, 2015 - November 30, 2017
Wrote Goats; staged readings in Beirut (2015) and London (2016); production premiered in 2017.
Writer at Anonymous Entry / Qaid Majhol
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Wrote the miniseries Anonymous Entry / Qaid Majhol for iProductions – Dubai (premiered 2021).
Librettist at Songs for Days to Come (Opera)
January 1, 2022 - June 30, 2022
Co-wrote the libretto of the opera Songs for Days to Come; premiered June 2022 at the Opera House of Osnabrück.
Co-Script Writer / Script Doctor at The Hero (TV Series)
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Co-script writer and script doctor for The Hero; premiered in 2025.
Poet in Residence at Poets House, New York
January 1, 2015 - Present
Resident poet in New York (2015) to work on a poetry collection; translation published in English.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Syria
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 1999
Bachelor of Arts in Theater Studies at Syria
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2003
Post Graduate Studies at Damascus University
September 1, 1999 - August 30, 2000

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Non-Profit Organization, Professional Services