Long Story

Born in Monaco to an Italian mother and a Lebanese father, Christophe Nassif is a French-Lebanese award-winning filmmaker, who focuses on the crafts of screenwriting, directing, and sound—not necessarily in that order.

From 2008 to 2011, Christophe pursued a Masters of Fine Arts in Cinema-Television at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, whose notable alumni include Ron Howard, George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Shonda Rhimes, Josh Schwartz, Bryan Singer, John August, Walter Murch, Gary Rydstrom, and more. There, he received the Jack Nicholson Directing Award, the Don Thompson Scholarship in Cinematic Arts, and a USC Annenberg Fellowship. He also was a founding member of QueerCut, the film school’s LGBT+ student association.

In 2010, Christophe interned with the Television Academy Foundation at Larson Studios in Hollywood, and his sound work on the short film THE MAIDEN AND THE PRINCESS got a Motion Picture Sound Editors Verna Fields Award nomination in 2012.

In 2011, the student short film he directed, WHAT TO BRING TO AMERICA, played in various festivals over the world, received six nominations and won four awards, including the Outstanding 1st Time Director award at DC Shorts (2011). It was also sold to Italian television DIVA Universal in 2012.

In 2012, Christophe moved to Paris and became assistant to Academy-Award nominees Sergio Díaz and Vincent Arnardi on the sound editing and re-recording mixing of such films as Amat Escalante’s HELI (Best Director, 2013 Cannes Film Festival), THE UNTAMED (Best Director, 2016 Venice Film Festival), and Jonás Cuarón’s DESIERTO (Critics’ Award, 2015 Toronto International Film Festival). Between 2009 and 2020, Christophe sound edited and/or mixed over thirty films, both shorts and features, in Paris and Brussels.

While pursuing his Sound career, Christophe moved back behind the camera in 2017, as he workshopped his feature screenplay CLUB 534 at the Rawi Screenwriters Lab (Royal Film Commission Jordan / Sundance Institute), and furthered its development at the 2018 Re-Writing Workshop in Beirut (Fondation Liban Cinéma) where he won the BCP Prize. That same year, Christophe workshopped his musical short screenplay STEPHANIE OF BADARO at the Cinephilia Screenwriting Lab for Shorts at the Arab World Institute in Paris, where he won the Best Screenplay award.

In 2019, Christophe’s first feature project, the musical rêverie set in Lebanon HIGH HEEL HAKAWATI, competed in the Fiction in Development category at the Beirut Cinema Platform (Beirut DC). He also participated at the Global Media Makers directing workshop in Beirut (Fondation Liban Cinéma / Film Independent), and was a jury member at the Lebanese Independent Film Festival. Christophe also produced a music video in Paris for Palestinian pianist Faraj Suleiman. He then wrote and directed in Beirut the sci-fi/environmental short film THERE ARE NO LIONS ON MARS, produced by Dewberries Films, a week before the Lebanese uprising.

In 2020, after the first wave of the pandemic, Christophe moved to Heidelberg, Germany. There, he furthered the development of HIGH HEEL HAKAWATI with the support of the Fondation Liban Cinéma and the Villa Kult in Berlin. Christophe then entered the months-long Groupe Ouest / Arte France TV Series Pre-Writing workshop, where he began writing a European comedy series.

In 2021, Christophe wrote and directed the desktop comedy short film DOPPELKLICK, produced by Tausendsassa Filmproduktion, with a grant from the Heinrich-Böll Stiftung Baden-Württemberg. Christophe also completed the TV Series workshop, as well as post-production on THERE ARE NO LIONS ON MARS, all while taking a four-months intensive German course.

Struggling to think in a single language, Christophe speaks French, English, and Spanish fluently, and he continues to polish his German and Arabic skills—admittedly with some difficulty. An avid knitter and crocheter, he currently resides with his husband in Heidelberg and keeps developing stories between Europe and Lebanon.

Projects

Short Film

Doppelklick

Synopsis

The Covid-19 Pandemic. When Yanis decides to ditch his online course for some webcam sexy times with Fabian, golden ager Hannelore interrupts with a video-call: she needs help with Zoom.

This film was made as part of the short film project “New Normality. Living in the Pandemic” of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Baden-Württemberg.

Trailer

• Completion date: July 2021
• Country: Germany
• Language: German
• Produced by: Tausendsassa Filmproduktion

Short Film

There Are No Lions on Mars

Synopsis

Beirut, 2059. On a boring day with his babysitter, Oliver discovers something on TV he shouldn’t have seen.

Trailer

• Completion date: January 2021
• Country: Lebanon-France
• Language: Arabic
• Produced by: Dewberries Films

Festivals

Short Film

Une Cravate

Synopsis

Today, Olivier must present the project that could change his life. But for that, he has to find the perfect tie.

Film

• Completion date: January 2015
• Country: France
• Language: France
• Produced by: Christophe Nassif

Short Film

What to Bring to America

Synopsis

Helen, an Ethiopian immigrant living in Los Angeles, is pressed by her family and tradition to take a decision as the moment approaches for her daughter’s genital cutting.

Trailer

• Completion date: December 2010
• Country: USA
• Language: Amharic, English
• Produced by: Benjamin Monié & Arthur Musah

Awards & Festivals

Lady Filmmaker Film Festival 

Oct 2011 | Beverly Hills, USA

Artivist Film Festival 

Aug 2011 | Los Angeles, USA

Filmforum Zadar 

Aug 2011 | Zadar, Croatia

Albuquerque Film Festival 

Aug 2011 | Albuquerque, USA

San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival 

Apr 2011 | San Sebastian, Spain

Short Film

Pas de Trois

Synopsis

Pas de Trois is a dark journey inside a tap dancer’s mind as he comes to self-acceptance.

Film

• Completion date: May 2009
• Country: USA
• Language: English
• Produced by: Christophe Nassif

Contact Christophe