Diana is a Ph.D. student and an instructor in the Department of Communication at UMass, Amherst. She focuses on Film Studies, media, culture, and theater. She got a master’s degree in Modern Culture and Media from Brown University in the USA. She earned her M.A. in Art History in The Belarusian State Academy of Arts and B.A. degree in English Literature and Theater Studies in Syria. In these programs, her theses were Searching for Hamlet Again, and Theatre and Screen Art of the Late 20th and the Early 21st Century. Her story for children, The Apple Girl, was published in 2012 and received an award from the ministry of culture. In 2008, she directed and wrote the play Blue Memories at the General Secretariat of Damascus Festivity as an Arab Capital of Culture. She has written and directed for many international film festivals, as well as lectured at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus. She is the founder and editing manager of the website 7GATES which supports culture and arts. The experimental documentary (The Sea is all Around 2017):
2017 Short Shorts film, Voice over Jafra Younes. Directed, filmed and edited by Diana Kasem. Country of filming and production: Syria 7GATES – The film was screened in the New England Graduate Media Symposium March 2017- Boston, The 60 Seconds or Less Video Festival sponsored by Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, 2-4 May. https://www.facebook.com/60SecondsorLessVideoFestival/
The View is a reenactment of the last scene in The Russian Ark 2002 by Alexander Sokurov. This time, the male voice is replaced with a young girl, and the stormy sea is replaced with a view in New York City. The upside-down image at the end of the film tries to recall the status of sudden fear and catastrophe that may happen anytime and everywhere. The View attempts to convey that point of meaningless in cities when they pass through a stream of international, crazy events. Screenings: Was screened in (The View) was screened in Days of German and Russian Short Films VKRATZE, 2017 – In Volgograd (6-9 April) http://culture-idea.ru/news/1554/ The 5th season of Azores Fringe Festival- islands of Azores-Portugal, (1-30 June)- Portugal http://mirateca.com/fringe/shortsfringe/default.aspx Mister Vorky Film Festival- RUMA-Serbia, (2-4 June 2017) http://mistervorky.blogspot.com/2017/05/mister-vorky-2017.html
Normal.. Yesterday.. 2013 is an experimental documentary film which was screened in Italy, Columbia, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey:
How do we make a movie about Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world? In the ancient city, people are always walking. One cannot expect where this city is taking us. All details tell the stories of people, architecture, colors, and objects. What is the reality and identity of Damascus? Is it the mix of severe contradictions? What does the archaeology of Damascus tell our present and future? Even in war and bitterness, this city will continuously tell a great story about the importance of peace and beauty. Love ancient cities, don’t ignore them. Ancient cities, inhabitant with the past, will always say something related to the future.
Official Selections at festivals: Italy: Al-Ard Doc Film Festival 2013 http://www.sardegnapalestina.org/al-ard-doc-film-festival-2013-i-documentari-in-gara/ Egypt: Tiba Short Film Festival 2013 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1433241703599943.1073741832.1426596347597812&type=3 Iraq: Baghdad International Film Festival 2014 http://www.baghdadfilmfest.com/festival/2014/submissions/43http://www.baghdadfilmfest.com/press/article/60 Columbia: Columbia Gorge International Film Festival 2014 http://www.angaelica.com/festivals/history/2014cgiff/ Syria: Steps International Short Film Festival 2015. https://www.facebook.com/cinema.steps/photos/pb.142933629204477.-2207520000.1435453154./431912393639931/?type=3&theater
Wrote and directed Blue Memories performance which was produced by the Festivity of Damascus as an Arabic capital of Culture 2008, and Theatrical Rhythms which was presented in Egypt 2013, got a prize of Writers for Children, on The Apple Girl story 2008, and was supported to finish her (The Inclined City) play by the company of Artists, Citizens in 2013. Normal Yesterday Trailer: https://www.facebook.com/dianakasem7GATES/videos/461138307573628/7GATES, Founder, Editing Manager, and Writer, 2016 – present Created a website dedicated to publishing and supporting artists. http://7gatess.com/Gave an interview to al Arabi magazine about the 7GATES’ project The Dramatic Readings: https://www.alaraby.co.uk/medianews/2016/10/21/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%B9-%D9%85%D9%88%D9%82%D8%B9-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B4%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1%D8%A9Wrote many articles for the website on cinema and theatre:Examples: The Home in the Theatre and Cinema space http://7gatess.com/?p=15401Theatre Anti War http://7gatess.com/?p=1831The Modern and the Contemporary in Art http://7gatess.com/?p=5109The Philosophy of Happiness According to Ibsen and Bernard Shaw http://7gatess.com/?p=5580On the Shape of the Future http://7gatess.com/?p=3768Sufism: Its Most Important points and experiences http://7gatess.com/?p=9992Why Shakespeare? http://7gatess.com/?p=7309The Musical Experience in Simpsons http://7gatess.com/?p=9602Give me the Flute and Sing, Fairuz http://7gatess.com/?p=13947The Modern Cemetery http://7gatess.com/?p=14683The Syrian Woman and the Illusion of Independence… Write!http://7gatess.com/?p=15198Translation from English, On the Most Famous Paintings in the Renaissance http://7gatess.com/?p=10262Reviewing the Book: Sun on Closed Windows http://7gatess.com/?p=15370The Levant News, editor, 2015, Edited and wrote for an English news website published in Lebanon: People Will Continue Making A Film No Matter What It Takes – Red Rock Film Festivalhttp://the-levant.com/people-continue-festival/Opening the New Academic Year- Higher Institute Of Dramatic Arts in Damascushttp://the-levant.com/academic-institute-dramatic/Why the Syrian Poet Adonis was chosen for the German peace prize? http://the-levant.com/adonis-chosen-german/Palmyra had been guarded in good hands: http://the-levant.com/palmyra-guarded-hands/Ongoing projects: Examples from 7GATES Online Gallery: https://www.facebook.com/7Gatess/videos/1393332217432124/https://www.facebook.com/7Gatess/videos/995773620521321/https://www.facebook.com/7Gatess/videos/949297358502281/https://www.facebook.com/7Gatess/videos/1241676882597659/https://www.facebook.com/7Gatess/videos/959468334151850/https://www.facebook.com/pg/7Gatess/videos/?ref=page_internalExamples from the Dramatic Readings project: World Theater Day-The Syrian Actor Majd Fidda reading an Enemy of the People By Henrik Ibsenhttps://www.facebook.com/7Gatess/videos/1241676882597659/The Syrian Actress Jafra Younes Reading Irina from Three Sisters Play by Anton ChekhovHeaven by Fritz Kater, Character Simona performed by Nagham Naasehhttps://www.facebook.com/7Gatess/videos/941113452654005/

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