Zahraa Ghandour
Ghandour was born and raised in Baghdad to an Iraqi-Lebanese father and an Iraqi mother. In 2004, she left Iraq to live in Syria, then to Beirut, Lebanon. A few years later she returned to Iraq.
Zahraa Ghandour
UN Human Rights · YouTube: https– View/save archived versions on archive.org (0:43) · CC BY 3.0
- Name
- Zahraa Ghandour
- Birthplace
- Baghdad, Iraq
- Occupation
- actress and film director Zahraa Ghandour is an Iraqi actress and film director.
- Born
- 1991 · Baghdad.
- Nationality
- Iraq
- Languages
- Arabic · English
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Documentary summary
Ghandour was born and raised in Baghdad to an Iraqi-Lebanese father and an Iraqi mother. In 2004, she left Iraq to live in Syria, then to Beirut, Lebanon. A few years later she returned to Iraq.
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Zahraa Ghandour (born 1991) is an actress, film director and film producer, a national of Iraq. The actress was born in Baghdad. Languages used include Arabic and English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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In this article
Biography
Biography
Living in these three countries allowed her to master several Arabic dialects: Iraqi, Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian. She is also fluent in English.
Iraqi actress and filmmaker Zahraa Ghandour, participated in International Women’s Day 2020
UN Human Rights · YouTube: https– View/save archived versions on archive.org (0:36)
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Zahraa Ghandour • Birthplace — Baghdad, Iraq • Occupation — actress and film director Zahraa Ghandour is an Iraqi actress and film director.
Early career
Early career
Ghandour started her work in media at the age of 17. By the time she was 22, she had her own TV show (‘52 minutes’), a weekly documentary show focusing on social issues in Iraq. She started as a writer and presenter and began also directing the show with the second season. Ghandour has held a variety of media jobs in online media, radio and television, where she presents the long-running technology show “Dot.IQ” on Sumaria TV.
Acting
Acting
Alongside her work as a documentary filmmaker, Ghandour started an acting career that soon made her one of the most prominent figures of Iraq’s fledgling but dynamic film industry. Her work includes roles both in Arabic and English. A chance encounter with Mohammed Al-Daradji, a well-established Iraq-based filmmaker, led to her getting the leading role in the acclaimed film “The Journey”, which premiered at TIFF in 2017 and represented Iraq in nominations in the foreign feature category at the 2019 Academy Awards. After working on her part for three years, her performance as Sara, a female suicide bomber, drew much attention and earned her widespread critical acclaim, as well as a number of awards. The film was released in France under the title "Baghdad Station" on 20 February 2019. She was then called up by Baghdad-born Swiss filmmaker Samir for the main female role in his latest feature film, Baghdad in My Shadow, which is to be released in 2019. In parallel, she is working on a number of acting projects for television, including for the Channel 4 series "Baghdad Central".
Filmography
Filmography
Film • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2017 — The Journey — Sara — An Iraqi drama film directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji • 2019 — Baghdad in My Shadow — Amal — By Swiss director ‘Samir’ • 2023 — Baghdad Messi — Salwa — Directed by Sahim Omar Kalifa
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Zahraa Ghandour”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q55080934: Zahraa Ghandour
General reference · Wikidata
Awards
• Won the Best actress award at the Muscat International Film Festival 2018. • Nominated for best actress award by the Arab Film Center 2018. • Won the best Best Actress award at the 4th Annual Asian Film Festival (US) • She won the Best actress award at the 2018 Malmo Arab Fim Festival • She won the Best actress award at the Festival des Cinémas Arabes 2018 organised by the Paris-based Arab World Institute(IMA)
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Oscars: Iraq Selects 'The Journey' for Foreign-Language Category. The Hollywood Reporter. 12 September 2018.
- 2.La guerra, desde el corazón de una mujer. www.publico.es. 27 December 2018.
- 3.Ocaña, Javier. Irak, fisicidad y contexto. El País. 2018-12-28. 1134-6582.
- 4.Baghdad Station : Dans la peau d'une terroriste irakienne [critique]. Premiere.fr. 2019-02-19.
- 5.Baghdad Station (2017). www.unifrance.org.
- 6.Baghdad in My Shadow.
- 7.Baghdad Central (TV Series).
- 8.'The Journey' Film by Mohamed al Daradji Wins Two Awards at the Muscat International Film Festival. www.albawaba.com.
- 9.Arab Cinema Center Organized by MAD Solutions. acc.film.
- 10.Festival (AWFF), Asian World Film. 4th Annual Asian World Film Festival Announces Winners. www.prnewswire.com.
- 11.closing 2018 Malmo Arab Film Festival. maffswe.com.
- 12.Palmarès. Institut du monde arabe. 2018-07-07.
- 13.The Journey (Al Rahal). Cineuropa - the best of european cinema.
- 14.Crew United - Das Netzwerk der Film- und Fernsehbranche. www.crew-united.com.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
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General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
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