Mounia Akl
Mounia Akl | |
|---|---|
 Akl in 2025 | |
| Born | |
| Alma mater | Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts Columbia University |
| Occupations | Film director, screenwriter, actress |
| Years active | 2011–present |
Mounia Akl (Arabic: مونيا عقل) is a Lebanese actress, screenwriter, and director. She is perhaps best known for her film Costa Brava, Lebanon, which premiered at the 2021 Venice Film Festival.[1][2]
Early life
Akl was born in Lebanon.[3] She received a bachelor's degree in Architecture from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) and a master of Fine Arts in directing from Columbia University.[4][5]
Career
In 2011, she along with Cyril Aris created Beirut I Love You, a Lebanese television/web-series.[6] She has since written and or directed several shorts, television episodes, and one feature-length film, Costa Brava, Lebanon.[7][8][9] In July 2024, it was announced that Akl will direct three episodes of the upcoming Netflix series House of Guinness.[10][11] In March 2025, she was selected for TorinoFilmLab’s ScriptLab 2025.[12]
Personal life
Akl splits her time between London and New York City.[4]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Cheers, to Those Who Stay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 2011 | Anoesis | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 2014 | Christine | Yes | Yes | No | Short film |
| 2014 | Eva | Yes | No | No | Short film |
| 2016 | Submarine | Yes | Yes | No | Short film |
| 2016 | Lebanon Factory | Yes | Yes | No | Short film, omnibus production |
| 2017 | El Gran Libano | Yes | Yes | No | Short film |
| 2021 | Costa Brava, Lebanon | Yes | Yes | No | Feature film |
| 2024 | Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano | No | No | No | Documentary |
| 2025 | A Sad and Beautiful World | No | No | No | Feature film, lead role |
| TBD | Hold Me (If You Want) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feature film |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | Beirut I Love You | Yes | LBC | also lead actress |
| 2023 | Boiling Point | Yes | BBC One | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | The Responder | Yes | BBC One | 2 episodes |
| 2025 | House of Guinness | Yes | Netflix | 3 episodes |
References
- ↑ "The Saga of Mounia Akl's 'Costa Brava, Lebanon'". Pulitzer Center. May 1, 2023.
- ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (2025-07-24). "Venice Days' Lebanese Film 'A Sad and Beautiful World' Boarded by Paradise City Sales (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
- ↑ "Costa Brava, Lebanon". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- 1 2 "About Mounia Akl". Mounia Akl. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- ↑ "'Costa Brava Lebanon' by Mounia Akl '16 Wins Audience Award BFI London Film Festival". Columbia University School of the Arts. October 27, 2021.
- ↑ "From Beirut, I Love You to Costa Brava: Mounia Akl's filmmaking journey, documented - Beirut Today". 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- ↑ "SUBMARINE". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- ↑ "The Responder - Martin Freeman and the cast and creatives discuss new characters, complex relationships, and Scouse accents in series two". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- ↑ ""We're making four movies": How UK director Philip Barantini took 'Boiling Point' from film to series". Screen Daily. October 2, 2023.
- ↑ "Anthony Boyle, Louis Partridge, James Norton lead cast for Netflix series 'House Of Guinness'". Screen Daily. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (2024-10-15). "Lebanon's Crisis Weary Filmmakers Talk Impact Of Escalating Israel-Hezbollah Conflict". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
- ↑ Baughan, Nikki (2025-03-31). "Mounia Akl, Anna Hints, Micah Magee selected for TorinoFilmLab's ScriptLab 2025". Screen. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
External links
- Mounia Akl at IMDb