Lula Ali Ismaïl facts for kids

Lula Ali Ismaïl (born in 1978) is a talented film director and writer from Djibouti and Canada. She made history as the first woman from Djibouti to create a film. This earned her the special nickname, "first lady of Djibouti cinema."

Her first movie was a short film called Laan, released in 2011. It was shown at film festivals in 2012 and 2013. Her next big film, Dhalinyaro, came out in 2017. It was a team effort with France, Canada, and Somalia, and was filmed entirely in Djibouti. Dhalinyaro was the very first full-length movie ever made in Djibouti.

About Lula Ali Ismaïl

Lula Ali Ismaïl was born in Djibouti in 1978. In 1992, she moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She was the youngest of eight children in her family.

She first studied office work and then worked as a legal assistant for seven years. However, she became very interested in acting and movies. She started taking classes to learn more about filmmaking. At first, she had small roles in TV shows in Quebec, but she soon found her true passion was making films herself.

Her Filmmaking Career

In 2012, Lula Ali Ismaïl made her first short film, Laan. This film was 27 minutes long and means "Friends." It tells the story of three young women in Djibouti named Souad, Oubah, and Ayane. Lula Ali Ismaïl also acted in one of the main roles.

The film showed what everyday life was like in her home country. It was the first movie ever directed by a woman from Djibouti. Lula Ali Ismaïl shared that her family and friends helped her raise money for this film. When she arrived in Djibouti, she asked the Ministry of Culture for help. However, the government did not have money for film projects at that time.

Even without government funding, she continued with her project. By doing so, she helped start a film industry in Djibouti. Her film Laan has been shown at many festivals in Africa, Europe, and North America. It has been well-received by people who review movies.

Making Dhalinyaro

In 2014, Lula Ali Ismaïl began filming her first full-length movie, Dhalinyaro. The title means "Youth." This film follows three young women from different backgrounds and life situations. The movie received support from the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.

Dhalinyaro was a joint project with Canada, Somalia, France, and Djibouti. It was filmed entirely in Djibouti. The movie first premiered in Djibouti in 2017. Important government officials, including the ministers of Education, Communication, and Culture, attended the premiere.

Future Projects

In July 2024, it was announced that Lula Ali Ismaïl would direct a movie based on the book The Youth of God. This book was written by Hassan Ghedi Santur, a Somali-Canadian author. The novel was recognized for awards in 2019 and 2020.

Films by Lula Ali Ismaïl

• Laan, 2011
• Dhalinyaro / Jeunesse [Youth], 2017

See also

In Spanish: Lula Ali Ismaïl para niños