Here is the rewritten biography:
Hady Zaccak was born on March 22, 1974, in the vibrant city of Beirut. He pursued his passion for film by studying at the prestigious IESAV film school, where he earned a diploma in audiovisual studies in 1997 and a Master's degree in cinema studies/film directing option in 2001. Zaccak's academic journey also took him to renowned institutions such as FEMIS in Paris, INSAS in Brussels, and HFF Konrad Wolf in Potsdam, where he participated in film directing, editing, and production workshops.
Since 1997, Zaccak has written and directed over 20 documentaries that have been broadcast on various television channels in Lebanon, the Arab world, and Europe, and have been presented and awarded at numerous film festivals globally. Four of his films, including "Ya Omri-104 rides," "A History Lesson," "Marcedes," and "Kamal Jumblatt, witness and martyr," have also been screened in theaters in Beirut.
Throughout his career, Zaccak has utilized documentary filmmaking as a means to bring history to life, record the present, preserve memory, and capture the metamorphoses and stagnation of the world around him. His filmography is a testament to his dedication to storytelling and his ability to captivate audiences through his unique perspective.
In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Zaccak is also an accomplished author. He wrote a book in French on the global history of Lebanese cinema, "Lebanese cinema: itinerary of a cinema towards the unknown" (1929-1996)," which was published by Dar-el-Machreq in 1997. He has since continued his explorations of the history of cinema in Lebanon with two documentaries, "Lebanon through cinema" and "War cinema in Lebanon," both released in 2003.
Zaccak's documentaries have covered a wide range of topics, including the constant metamorphosis of Beirut, as seen in "Beirut…Points of view" (2000) and "Taxi Beirut" (2011); the discovery of other Arab capitals, such as "Sindbad in Baghdad" (2003) and "Taxi Sana'a" (2012); and the investigation into the place of religion and religious groups in the Middle East, as explored in "The Neo Missionaries" (2004),"The Copts" (2004),and "The Shiites" (2005).
Zaccak has also delved into the Palestinian cause, producing films such as "1000 and 1000 Nights" (1999) and "Refugees for Life" (2006). He has documented the 2006 war in Lebanon and its social and environmental repercussions through four films: "The War of peace" (2007),"The oil spill in Lebanon" (2007),"The Shiite echoes of Lebanon" (2007),and "Sunni echoes of Lebanon" (2008).
In recent years, Zaccak has continued to produce thought-provoking documentaries, including "Honeymoon 58" (2013),"Kamal Jumblatt, witness and martyr" (2015),and "Ya Omri" ("104 wrinkles") (2017),which explores the theme of memory through the portrait of his grandmother.
Zaccak's most recent publication is his book "The Last Film Screening," released in 2021, which exposes the social, political, and cultural history of Tripoli through its cinemas. Throughout his career, Zaccak has received numerous awards for his films, including "Ya Omri" ("104 wrinkles"),"Kamal Jumblatt, witness and martyr," "Marcedes," "A history lesson," "The oil spill in Lebanon," and "1000 and 1000 Nights."
As a professor, Zaccak has been teaching at IESAV-Saint Joseph University of Beirut since 1998, where he instructs courses in film writing and directing, cinema history, and film genres. He also gives workshops on documentary and cinematographic culture in various regions of the Arab world and Africa. Zaccak is the founder of ZAC films, a testament to his dedication to the art of filmmaking and his commitment to sharing his knowledge with others.
