Takla Chamoun Farjallah (; born 5 December 1966) is a Lebanese actress, drama instructor, producer, and the co-founder and CEO of the Lebanese Film Academy. Chamoun is highly regarded in the Middle East and the Arab World for her acting and her ability to mold into a character.
Early life and education Takla Chamoun was born and raised in the mountainous village of Jouar el-Haouz to the east of Beirut. Her father Butros was a priest, and her mother a housewife. Chamoun is the middle child of nine siblings, six girls and three boys. She has said that she suffered from Middle child syndrome, and that she had a very close relationship with her mother. Her family was displaced twice, and she was almost taken out of school at the age of 15 because of the Lebanese Civil War; Chamoun recounted in a 2021 interview that she dissuaded her father from leaving her without an education.
The reclusive child was fond of journaling and spending the afternoons in the village sports club playing Table Football. It was not until after her participation in an amateur village play that she discovered her flair for acting. In the mid-1980s, Chamoun participated in a play organized by the village Christian Youth club to celebrate the beatification of Rafqa Ar-Rayes. The play was directed by George Oryan and attended by a large crowd, among whom was her future husband, Tony Farjallah.
Her father Butros did not stop her from pursuing an acting education and career. Chamoun joined the Lebanese University Faculty of Journalism before changing course to join the Faculty of Arts. She graduated with a Diploma in Theatre Acting & Directing from the Lebanese University.
Career
Early career difficulties At the start of her acting career, Takla played experimental theater roles before making her film debut. Her talent was spotted by producer Waleed al-Husseini during the premiere of Khodor Alaa Eddin's play Akh ya Baladna in the Picaddilly Theater in the Hamra district of Beirut. She was cast in the role of the wife of Palestinian caricaturist Nagi al-Ali in the eponymous 1991 movie, with legendary Egyptian actor Nour El-Sherif. Chamoun landed roles in the 1996 TV series Akher Mashhad (The last scene), and the controversial 1997 TV series Share' el-Kaslik (Kaslik Street), later renamed Share' al-iyyam (Days Street). Her breakout role was Zalfa the midwife in the Lebanese TV series Men Barsoumi (From Barsoumi) a 2001 14-episode historical miniseries, set in French-mandate Lebanon. Following her performance in Men Barsoumi, for which she garnered accolades, the actress continued to make regular appearances in popular films and series.
During the early 2000s, Chamoun took roles in poorly produced Lebanese TV series; she also worked in dubbing studios "to make ends meet", as she expressed in a 2007 interview; she also deplored the state of Lebanese theater. Her planned theatrical collaboration with renowned director Chakib Khoury dubbed al-Malja2 (The Shelter) was interrupted by the 2006 Lebanon-Israel conflict.
Later work Chamoun cofounded the Lebanese Film Academy with her husband Tony Farjallah.
Personal life Takla claims to have had a heavy surgical anesthesia-induced near-death experience during her university graduation year at the age of 23. She recounted hearing the medical staff calling to her to wake up while she had an out-of-body experience. At the time, Takla was preparing her graduation thesis based on Eugène Ionesco's Exit the King. The incident, and Ionesco's work, deeply marked Takla. She began the introduction to her graduation thesis with the quotation "Takla Oumi" Wake up Takla; the same call she heard under anesthesia.
Chamoun is known to have refused to cancel a showing of Shakib Khoury's play Mawani' al-hanin (Harbors of Nostalgia) after she was informed of her mother's death from complications of surgery in 1999.
When Men Barsoumi aired, her future husband Tony Farjallah was infatuated with Chamoun and captivated by her performance; however, the two only met a few years later at Farjallah's cinematography workshop in Beirut. They got married shortly afterwards in the Greek Catholic Church in Sarba.
Chamoun describes herself as a nature lover and spends her free time hiking and rock climbing.
Personal views Chamoun supports women empowerment in the movie industry in the Middle East; she deplores actress body-shaming, ageism, and actresses' recourse to excessive plastic surgery. The actress also takes pride in not having compromised the quality of her work, and not using feminine sensuality for fame. She supported the Lebanese protests against sectarian rule, endemic corruption and political class ineptitude, she also said that revolution is long overdue.
Filmography
Films +YearTitleEnglish titleRoleDirector1991Nagi el-AliNagi's wifeAtef El-Tayeb2000al-Jazira al-muharrama (The forbidden island)Samir al-Ghusainy2004Ma`arek hobbIn the BattlefieldsMarwaDanielle Arbid2007Un homme perduA Lost ManTaxi cab ladyDanielle Arbid2009Gibran_ MarianaSamir Habchi2010Rsasa tayshehStray bulletGeorges Hachem2011Beirut bel-leylBeirut HotelThe seerDanielle Arbid2013Waynon Void'Actress'MultipleHabbet Loulou Faten AbdallahLayal M. Rajha24 ساعة حب (24 hours of love)Liliane Boustany2016SaudadeHanineDoris Saba2018Morine - alqiddisa al mutanakkiraMorineRohelTony Farjallah2019Yerbo b`ezkon C SectionDavid Oryan
Television +YearTitleEnglish titleRoleDirector1995Rabih al-hob (The spring of love)Milad al-Hachem1996Akher Mashhad (The last scene)Shabab a banat (Boys and girls)Bassem NasrAwraq El Zaman El MurrNabilaNajdat Esmail Anzur1997Share' el-Kaslik (Kaslik Street)RandaNajdat Esmail Anzur1997Mada al-omor (For a lifetime)Georges Ghayyad1999Rumh an-Nar (The spear of fire)Najdat Esmail Anzur2001Men Barsoumi (From Barsoumi)Elie Adabashi2007Maleh ya Baher (Oh salty sea)SoniaLiliane BoustanyLaylat al-qarar (Decision night)Charbel Kamel2008at-Ta'er al-maksour (The broken bird)GigiMilad Abi Raad2009al-Burj 13 (Tower 13)SouadCaroline MilanIza el-ard mdawra (If the earth is round)Elie AdabashiLi annahu al-hob (Because it's love)Elie Feghali2010Dahaya al-Madi (Victims of the past)Tony Farjallah2011CasanovaLaudyPhilippe Asmaral-Jami`a (The university)Dr. LaylaAmr KoraHia wa hia_Liliane BoustanyScenarioThe HayenaElie F. Habib2012Ruby_AliaRami HannaMurahiqoon (Adolescents)Saifeddin al-Subeihi2013Juthur (Roots)Raja'Philippe AsmarSana`udu ba`s qalil_Al Laith Hajo2014`Ashrat `abid szgharAnd Then There Were None adaptationLauraElie F. HabibIttiham (accusation)LaylaPhilippe AsmarMakan fi al-qasr (A place in the mansion)RimaAdel Adib2014–201524 Qirat24 CaratsJihaneAl Laith Hajo2016Jarimat shaghaf (A crime of passion)MonaWalid Nassif2016Sarkhat ruh (A soul's cry) - season 4Huda / SaharSamih Hussein2017Fakhamat as-Shakk (The luxury of Doubt)AidaUssama Shehab al-Hamad2018KarmaRodney El HaddadSakat al-waraq (The papers fell silent)Yasmin FarahNadim MhannaJuliaDianaElie F. HabibThawrat al-fallahinPeasants' RebellionNarjisPhilippe Asmar2019–2021Arous BeirutBride of BeirutLayla Daher Fikret Kadioglu Emre Kabakusak2021As-Sununu (The swallow)Khayri BesharaAz-ZiaraThe VisitClaire Adolfo Martinez Perezal-Bari'aThe innocentFadiaRami Hanna
Theater +YearTitleRoleDirector1990?Akh ya balandaKhodor Alaa Eddin1997Shay' ma yushbihu al-hobb (Something like love)1999Mawani' al-hanin (Harbors of Nostalgia) Shakib Khoury2008`Awdat al-finiq (The return of the Phoenix)Marwan Rahbani2009Akher ayyamColette MattarMarwan Rahbani2016al-FaresThe hostessMarwan Rahbani2020Love & Light (orchestral theatrical concert)DianaHarout Fazlian
As producer
Morine (2019)
Honors and awards
2022 Beirut International Women Film Festival Tanit Award for life's work. 2021 Chamoun was granted the Golden visa from the government of the UAE. The Visa is awarded to outstanding professional artists. 2019 Murex d'Or for Best Lebanese Film to Morine, a film produced by Takla and her husband Tony Farjallah's Lebanese Film Academy. 2015 Lebanese Movies Award for Best Ensemble Cast In A Lebanese Motion Picture for the film Waynon; shared with Diamand Bou Abboud, Nada Abou Farhat, Carol Abboud, and Carmen Lebbos. 2013 Murex d'Or award for Best Lebanese TV and Cinema Actress.
References
External links
Other sources