AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS 

Leena Alam

Afghan movie star, director, producer, and UNAMA Peace Ambassador

 

     Leena Alam  لينا علم  is an award-winning Afghan-American film actor and a household name across Central and South Asia.  She has starred in many internationally acclaimed films, including Kabuli Kid, Loori, Running in Circles, and others.   

 

     I first met Leena Alam by chance in a dimly-lit underground Kabul café in 2011.  I was immediately taken with her grace and generosity of spirit, and also with her intelligence and classic beauty.  As we talked, I immediately thought of the Afghan Proverb “Zeybaa-ye bey-naaz, shorba-ye bey-peyaaz.”

زیبای بی‏ناز ، شوربای بی‏پیاز

     The Proverb translates in English as “Beauty without charm is like soup without onion.”  It means that if a beautiful woman has no charm or manners, her beauty is useless.  That is very true, but it surely doesn’t describe Leena.  In the past 15 years she has expanded her portfolio to include directing and producing films in Central and South Asia. She can make the camera respond beautifully whether she is in front of it or behind it.... (more)          

 

Read Leena Alam's interview with Edward Zellem

"Leena Alam: Gaining Hearts with Filmmaking in Afghanistan"