Jihan El-Tahri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jihan El-Tahri
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|---|---|
| Born | 1963 |
| Citizenship | French, Egyptian |
| Education | American University in Cairo |
| Occupation | screenwriter, director, author |
| Employer | BBC, Reuters |
Jihan El-Tahri (Arabic: ﺟﻬﺎﻥ ﺍلطاهري) is a talented writer, director, and producer of documentary films. She was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1963. Jihan has both French and Egyptian citizenship. She is known for making films that explore important historical and political events, especially in the Middle East and Africa.
Jihan studied political science at the American University in Cairo. She earned her first degree in 1984 and a master's degree in 1986. After her studies, she worked as a news correspondent for different news organizations. From 1984 to 1990, she covered politics in the Middle East. She worked in countries like Tunisia, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, and Egypt.
In 1990, Jihan started directing and producing her own documentaries. She made films for French television and later for the BBC starting in 1995. In 1992, she even filmed Osama bin Laden's training camps in Sudan. She also helped with four films for the "Steps for the Future" project in 2001. Her documentary, The House of Saud, was shown on the BBC in 2004 and on PBS in 2005. Her film, 'Behind the Rainbow', was shown at the 53rd BFI London Film Festival in 2009.
Jihan also worked with Ahron Bregman, an Israeli historian. Together, they created The Fifty Years War: Israel and the Arabs in 1998.
Contents
Documentary Films by Jihan El-Tahri
Jihan El-Tahri has directed and produced many important documentary films. These films often explore history and politics in different parts of the world.
- The Koran and the Kalashnikov (2000)
- L'Afrique en morceaux (Africa in Pieces) (2000)
- The Price of Aid/Les maux de la faim (The Evils of Hunger) (2003)
- The House of Saud (2004)
- Cuba, an African Odyssey (2007)
- Behind the Rainbow (2009)
- Egypt's Modern Pharaohs (2015)
Books Written by Jihan El-Tahri
Besides making films, Jihan El-Tahri has also written books.
- Les Sept Vies de Yasser Arafat (The Seven Lives of Yasser Arafat) (with Christophe Boltanski), published in Paris, 1997. This book explores the life of a famous political leader.
Awards and Recognition
Jihan El-Tahri's work has been recognized with various honors.
In 2025, Jihan El-Tahri was chosen to be a member of the jury at the 78th Locarno Film Festival. She helped judge the short film competition called Pardi di Domani.
See also
In Spanish: Jihan El-Tahri para niños
