Jocelyne Saab(1948-2019)

Director
Writer
Producer

Jocelyne Saab at an event for Dunia (2005)

She was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Her first job was hosting a pop music program on the national Lebanese radio station called "Marsipulami got blue eyes." Then she became a television newsreader. Once civil war broke out in Lebanon, Saab started working on documentary films. That led to a job as second unit director for "Circle of Deceit" directed by Volker Schlondorff in 1981, which happened to be about the Lebanese civil war. She continued to report and document on the war, but moved to Paris, France after having lost so much due to the war.

2005 - She splits her time between Paris and Cairo.

IMDbProStarmeter See rank

Awards
- 5 wins & 6 nominations total

Photos1

Known for

Dunia

6.2

Director(as Jocelyn Saab)

2005

What's Going On?

6.4

Director(as Jocelyn Saab)

2009

Adolescente, sucre d'amour

6.4

Director(as Jocelyn Saab)

1985

Iran, Utopia on the Move

7.2

Director(as Jocelyn Saab)

1980

Credits

IMDbPro

Director

My Name is Mei Shigenobu
Short
- Director
- 2018
Un Dollar par Jour
Short
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2016
What's Going On?
6.4
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2009
Dunia
6.2
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2005
La Dame de Saïgon
TV Movie
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1997
Once Upon a Time, Beirut
6.9
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1995
Adolescente, sucre d'amour
6.4
- Director
- writer, director, producer (as Jocelyn Saab, as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1985
Beirut, My City
7.4
Short
- Director
- 1983
Lebanese, Hostages of Their City
Short
- Director
- 1982
The Ship of Exile
6.3
Short
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1982
Iran, Utopia on the Move
7.2
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1980
Sur le tournage de Nahla
Short
- Director
- 1979
Egypt, the City of the Dead
7.1
Short
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1978
Letter from Beirut
7.1
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1978
Sahara Is Not for Sale
6.5
- Director (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1977

Writer

My Name is Mei Shigenobu
Short
- Writer
- 2018
Un Dollar par Jour
Short
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2016
What's Going On?
6.4
- story
- writer (as Jocelyn Saab, as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2009
Dunia
6.2
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2005
La Dame de Saïgon
TV Movie
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1997
Once Upon a Time, Beirut
6.9
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1995
Adolescente, sucre d'amour
6.4
- Writer
- idea (as Jocelyn Saab, as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1985
The Ship of Exile
6.3
Short
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1982
Iran, Utopia on the Move
7.2
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1980
Sahara Is Not for Sale
6.5
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1977
Children of War
7.0
Short
- Writer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1976

Producer

What's Going On?
6.4
- producer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2009
Dunia
6.2
- producer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 2005
Adolescente, sucre d'amour
6.4
- producer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1985
The Ship of Exile
6.3
Short
- producer
- 1982
Iran, Utopia on the Move
7.2
- executive producer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1980
Sahara Is Not for Sale
6.5
- producer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1977
Children of War
7.0
Short
- producer
- 1976
For a Few Lives
6.6
Short
- producer
- 1976
Le Front du refus
6.6
Short
- producer
- 1975
Lebanon in a Whirlwind
7.0
- producer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1975
The New Crusaders of the East
7.1
Short
- producer (as Jocelyn Saab)
- 1975
Palestinian Women
6.6
Short
- producer
- 1974

Personal details

Official sites
- BFI_tribute
- France's national library catalogue
Alternative name
- Jocelyn Saab
Born
- April 30, 1948
- Beirut, Lebanon
Died
- January 7, 2019
- Paris, France(cancer)
Children
- Nessim Ricardou-Saab,

Did you know

Trivia
She has directed about 20 documentary films shown worldwide. All her films, except "Suspended life," were written by her. She has filmed all over the world, such as Lebanon, Egypt, Iran, Kurdistan, Ex-Spanish Sahara, and Vietnam.

Quotes
The struggles and difficulties surrounding the making of "Kiss Me Not on the Eyes" were unfortunately of epic proportions.... [My] main challenges were: To obtain permission to shoot the film on location in Cairo, Egypt as the censorship body fought the scenario fiercely... Considering it to be pornographic. [After the] permission was obtained, the next challenge was to set up production, which usually is quite a task, and being weighed down by such controversy only made it harder.

Then came finding actors, who had to be convinced of assuming responsibilities for their roles. It was a long and hard process as all [the actors were] concerned about their reputation and also their safety.