About James Chehab

James is a Lebanese artist born in Beirut. He received his bachelor’s degree and master’s in Audio-Visual arts and Cinema from the Saint Joseph University of Beirut USJ-IESAV.

Director and cinematographer of the feature film The Adventures of a Mother and Her Daughters on Their Quest for the Meaning of Life and Other Important Things, 2021. 

Director and cinematographer of the short film The Trials of a Fairly Intelligent Imbecile, 2018. 

Directing

“Exercices de réalisation” a short film that explores the relationship between a director and his actress, and the impossibility of love, 2019.

Eyelight a short film that represents a moment in cinema between the screen and the spectator (Jury’s Mention at the Metropolis Short Film Competition, 2016 Lebanon).

Being an artist is no excuse for lacking knowledge in the technical side of one’s craft. Every aspect of production is key. That is why I have also expanded my experience to different fields within the Audio-Visual industry.

Theater

Technical director for YAZAN a Lebanese based theater company that has been touring in Lebanon and abroad.

Technical director for YARAQA, a socio-cultural enterprise that specializes in production of dance at the intersection of other industries, spaces, and publics.

Technical director of the play Jogging on its world tour, 2019-present.
Places already visited on tour: Washington D.C. Kennedy Center / Singapore / Germany / France / Morocco / Jordan / Sweden / Spain / United Kingdom / Canada / United States / Switzerland, etc.

Technical director for Showbox Productions, 2015-2019.

Technical director at the Theatre Gemmayze, 2014 – 2018.

Light Design

These are some of the most prominent plays in light design;

  • Atelier du je directed by Patricia Nammour & Caline Bernotti, 2016, 2018, 2019.
  • Scènes de vie conjugal directed by Michel Jaber, 2018.
  • Ce soir J’ovule directed by Patricia Nammour & Caline Bernotti, 2018
  • Abou el Ghadab directed by Joe Kodeih, 2018.
  • Cadavre exquis directed by Chady El Zein, 2016-2018.
  • Kifik ya Layla directed by Michel Jaber, 2017.
  • Le bel indifférent directed by Gretta Aoun, 2017
  • Little Arabic Star directed by Pauline Haddad, 2017
  • Le bel indifférent directed by Fadia Chahine, 2016.
  • La peau d’Elisa directed by Marie Christine Tayah, 2016.
  • Le carnaval des animaux ballet by May Cholhot, 2015.

Cinematography

Short films

  • “Film Title” directed by Fatima Joumaa, 2021.
  • Fait-Divers directed by Evelyne Hleis, 2020.
  • Sakta directed by Geawargios Hanna, 2019.
  • Overcast directed by Vanessa Chawi, 2019.
  • 400 AZA directed by Georges Arban, 2018.
  • Above directed by Hady Abou Ghazaly, 2017.
  • Air Traffic Control Officers directed by Georges Arban, 2016.

Corporate-Type

Director and Cinematographer for the Hymn “Ya Aadra Ghmarti el Salib“, that was a serious and different approach to portraying hymns in Lebanon. With singer Nadine Aouad, and Composer Emile Awad.

Cinematographer for fashion designer Toni Ward, filming commercial and artistic videos for their Haute couture and ready to wear collections.

Cinematographer and director of Jogging, a documentary that explores the journey of the play Jogging, and its creator Hanane Hajj Ali, 2021.

Cinematographer and director of Biosphere, mini educational documentaries about plants and fungi in the Jabal Moussa protected biosphere, 2021.

Cinematographer of Le petit bonheur, an intimate biography of Mrs. Aimée Boulos, the founder of the first school of cinema in Lebanon and a pioneer of the cultural scene in Beirut and Damascus since 1954, 2020.

Cinematographer of Koulouna Irada an infographic video for an NGO exploring the economic collapse, 2020.

Cinematographer of Short documentary about the life and process of being an anesthesia doctor within the AUBMC hospital, 2019.

Cinematographer of TVC Children Cancer Centre Lebanon, 2018.

Cinematographer and director of nursery promotional videos, 2018.

Cinematographer and director of a documentary for the school of translation USJ – ETIB, 2017.

Cinematographer and director of a corporate documentary for a pottery company, 2016.

Cinematographer and co-director of a promotional documentary for the Nurses Union Lebanon, 2014.

Crew Positions

  • Camera Operator for MBC – Yalla Banat directed by Emile Sleilaty, 2019.
  • Gaffer for the french feature film Artrides 2019.
  • Key Grip for many short films, 2015-2020.
  • Gaffer for many short films, 2015-2020.