Christopher Aoun

"We talked a lot about the cinematography feeling like a chess game - precise movements, nothing wasted, each cut, each frame, a strategic proposition in this mythic Greek war between mother and son." A Muslim mother and her drag queen son battle for the spotlight in @glamrou 's surreal short 'Original Sin' commissioned by @wepresent . Amrou sits down with DN to unpack how the film's tightly choreographed visual language stages their domestic trauma funhouse standoff as something altogether more operatic. Watch 'Original Sin' & read our full interview with Amrou on DN now ⏯️ // Credits // Director & Writer, Amrou Al-Kadhi @glamrou Commissioner, WePresent, @wepresent Producer, Tim Katz at Knucklehead @knucklehead_hq Executive Producer, Holly Fraser @hollymercedes27 Executive Producer, Alex Mattinson @almexsattinon Cast, Mojean Aria and Darina Al Joundi @mojeanaria @darinaaljoundi Director of Photography, Christopher Aoun @chris.aoun_ Production Designer, Soraya Gilanni Viljoen @sorayagilanniviljoen Casting, Shaheen Baig @shaheenbaigcasting Editor, Konstantin Bock @konstantin_bok Original Score, CJ Mirra @cj_mirra Costume Design, Jonathan Lipman Make-Up and Hair, AJ Juttla @ajmakeupman

I had the privilege of shaping the visual language of this film, working closely with Amrou Al-Kadhi’s distinct and compelling vision. STREAMING NOW on WePresent: A Muslim woman and her drag queen son fight for the spotlight in “Original Sin”. The surreal new short film from writer, actor, drag performer and filmmaker Amrou Al-Kadhi @glamrou Cast: @darinaaljoundi & @mojeanaria Producer: Tim Katz @knucklehead_hq Executive Producers: @hollymercedes27 and @almexsattinon Director of Photography: @chris.aoun_ Gaffer: @johnkevingibb 1AC: @rozemarijnstokkel @jamesroberthills Key Grip: @relaxi_its_maxi light & camera assistant: @bartbazaz Production Designer: @sorayagilanniviljoen Casting: @shaheenbaigcasting Make-Up and Hair: @ajmakeupman Costume Design: Jonathan Lipman Original Score: @cj_mirra Editor: @konstantin_bock Sound Design: @tomthesoundviking Re-Recording Mixer: Kim Tae Hak Grade @_nlsn_ + @selectedworks.tv Re-Recording Mixer: Kim Tae Hak Colourist: _nlsn_ VFX Lead: Wes Trailer by @reedwiles Commissioned by @wepresent @kodak_shootfilm @panavisionofficial #shortfilm #35mmfilm #filmfestival #kodak35mm #indiefilm queerfilm Stream “Original Sin” on WePresent / WeTransfer YouTube.

A beautiful moment for @allthatsleftofyoufilm Shortlisted for the Oscars and nominated for the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Grateful. Shooting DIE JAHRE MIT DIR from Bologna to Munich, Düsseldorf and all the way to the Peruvian Andes. Every moment with this incredible cast and crew has been pure joy. I’m deeply grateful for their laughter, their patience, and their spirit . even at 4500 meters, when every breath felt earned. It’s one of those rare journeys where nature, cinema, and friendship merge into something unforgettable . Where the line between work and life completely disappears. DIR Caroline Link CAST @jellahaase @jannisniewoehner_official PROD @komplizenfilm 1AC Benjamín Raeder 2nd AC Max Casjens Trainee Pelleas Hoepfner Gaffer Florian Kronenberger Best Boy Sascha Görlich Key Grip Bernd Mayer DIT Tyzian Masik VTR Milán Hoppe #DieJahreMitDir #ChristopherAoun #Cinematography #setlife #DirectorOfPhotography #BehindTheScenes

So excited to share the exclusive trailer of ORIGINAL SIN 🩸, which is premiering at BFI #LFF this week (other festival screenings to be announced 😉) Eternally grateful to @wepresent for commissioning me to make this film, it’s been a dream come true really, and to my esteemed team @knucklehead_hq for producing this so slickly! And of course to my cast and all my incredible HODs and crew. A filmmaker is only as good as their team, and I have the best team and am absurdly lucky😭 When I started making films, I wanted to put my hopes and dreams onto the screen. Now I want to expunge my nightmares through the medium 😈. I’ve found filmmaking to be one of the most incredible ways to sublimate trauma into something beautiful and meaningful for audiences (and myself). This short has really allowed me to explore my deepest questions and obsessions - breaking the curses of intergenerational trauma, interrogating the “tensions” between drag femininity and womanhood, drag and Arab femininity, religious trauma, maternal revenge, the cyclical nature of trauma, the fetishisation of suffering and who gets to own their narrative. I can’t wait for you all to see it! Feeling very blessed today!!! 🧿 #shortfilm #35mmfilm #filmfestival #cinematography #kodak35mm #indiefilm #queerfilm #MENAfilm

Sunrise. Malindi, Kenya A fisherman casting his net Captured in May 2024 while prepping for IN THE SHADOWS — coming soon.

FoMa Antares🎥 Trusted on Set We recently joined the set of a new feature film, directed by Caroline Link and shot by Christopher Aoun, known for his bold visual storytelling. For a key shot, the team needed reliability – and the FoMa Antares 11" delivered. Mounted on a 6 m crane from @pantherfilmequipment , it carried a full camera package with the Optimo 12x without breaking a sweat. Steady, smooth, and drama-free. Setup was quick – under 30 minutes – and the crew got hands-on with the FoMa Control Panel (RCP-2 EVO running EvolveOS). Intuitive from the first touch, it let @chris.aoun_ jump in, learn the controls in minutes, and roll straight into the shot. We’re honored to see FoMa Antares trusted on ambitious cinematic projects, not just live events. The title is still under wraps, but once it hits theaters 🎞️🍿, you’ll know the moment we were part of. Stay tuned. #FoMaAntares #OnSet #BehindTheScenes #CarolineLink #ChrisAoun #MunichFilm #RemoteHead #Filmmaking #ComingSoon #FoMaSystems #Antares #EvolveOS #cinematography #camerarig #behindthescenes #filmmakersworld #gyrostabilized #stabilizedhead #technocrane #gimbal #filmmaking #cameraoperator #trackingvehicle #armcar #gripequipment #keygrip #griprigs #cameraassistant #setlife

✨ ORIGINAL SIN ✨ Premieres at BFI London Film Festival 🖤 I’m filled with gratitude and can’t wait to see how this boundary-breaking, operatic Arab queer myth — shot on S35 and directed by the amazing @glamrou — finds its audience. Starring the incredible @darinaaljoundi & @mojeanaria , beautifully cast by @shaheenbaigcasting . @konstantin_bock it is always magic to share projects with you! ❤️ To Amrou — thank you for trusting me with your vision. To my team — you made this film possible. 🎬 Editing by @konstantin_bock 🎨 Set design brilliance @sorayagilanniviljoen 🎥 Precious ACs @rozemarijnstokkel @jamesroberthills 💡 Lighting genius @johnkevingibb 🔧 Grip @relaxi_its_maxi 🎞️ A joy to share this experience with @bartbazaz @shbismyname 🎨 Grade @nlsn ❤️ @selectedworks.tv 💄 Make-up @ajmakeupman 🕺🏼 Costume designer jonathan lipman 🎶 Score @cj_mirra ✨ Produced by legend @katztim @knucklehead_hq beautiful BTS shot by @hughrochfort Shooting this on Kodak film with Panavision lenses, weaving between 35mm and Super 8, was a gift — a reminder of why I love what I do.

Thrilled to finally share the trailer for ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU. It’s been a true honor to collaborate with the brilliant Cherien Dabis on this sweeping odyssey — a story that spans seven decades of one Palestinian family’s courage, hope, and resilience. As a cinematographer, I’m humbled to have helped craft a visual journey that connects past and present with intimacy and grandeur. Critics from Sundance have hailed the film as “a modern masterpiece,” “powerful,” and “deeply moving.” Currently playing at select festivals and coming to theaters on January 9th.

new work for @johnniewalker x @olivier_rousteing directed by @joshuawoods prod design by @nicola_scarlino

Unknown Light 2024 @amandademme @dielamb @lalamichmich

so excited to share that ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU will have its world Premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. it was one of the craziest experiences I think a movie can go through. Thank you @cheriendabis for the trust , for becoming family and for never letting go even when the whole world would try to make the production stop. We had to leave countries and crews behind many times, but we did it and I am so grateful to every person who joined us during the process. @marcomueller.mov @kolja__ac @nikoknoblauch you were the best crew and company I could have wished for, thank you for not letting me down at any moment. After a Palestinian teen confronts Israeli soldiers at a West Bank protest, his mother recounts the series of events that led him to that fateful moment, starting with his grandfather’s forced displacement. quoting Cherien: “The most incredible human beings helped me make this film under exceptionally challenging circumstances. We poured our hearts and souls into it. This film is so near and dear to all of our hearts.” Writer | Director: @cheriendabis Cast: @salehbakriart @cheriendabis @adammbakri #MohammadBakri @mariazreik_ @hamoodey.ja Cinematographer: @chris.aoun_ A Cam | steadicam: @marcomueller.mov B Cam : @nikoknoblauch 1AC A Cam: @kolja__ac Gaffers: @hosnialbaqa @ameer_zabaneh @lightfeverlimited Key Grip Hans Hellner colorist: @marinastarke.color Production Designer: @bhasuneh Costume Designer: @zwinkys Editor: Tina Baz Composer: @bouhafaamine Producers: Thanassis Karathanos @cheriendabis Martin Hampel @karimamer33 Co-producers: @ampfilmworks Line producer: @filmbaseberlin #allthatsleftofyou