Julia Kassar is a prominent Lebanese actress who holds a degree in Dramatic Arts from the Institute Of Fine Arts at the Lebanese University (1987), and a Master of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts (Theater section) from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik – USEK (2007).
She has worked with several renowned theater, film, and TV directors, such as Raymond Gébara, Yaacoub El Chedrawi, Nidal El Achkar, Roger Assaf, Jawad El Assadi, Jalal Khoury, Mounir Maasri, Chakib Khoury, Nicolas Daniel, Kamil Salamé, Joseph Bou Nassar, Siham Nasser, Nabil El Azan, Gabriel Yammine, Marwan Rahbani, Lina Abyad, Suleiman Abu Zeid, Milad El Hachem, Albert Kilo, Antoine Remy, Samir Habchi, Leyla Assaf, Randa Chahhal, Hany Tamba, Fouad Alaywan, Joana Hadjithomas, Khalil Joreige, Bahij Hojeij, Vatche Boulghourjian, Sophie Boutros, and Khalil Zaarour.
In addition to being a TV presenter and anchor in several cultural shows, Julia was the treasurer and vice-president of the Syndicate of Lebanese Actors in Radio, Television, Cinema, and Theater from 2002 to 2006. She has been teaching drama at the Department of Theatre at the Lebanese University’s Institute of Fine Arts (2) since 1998.
Julia participated in several Lebanese, Arabic, and international theatre and film festivals, both as an actress and as a jury member.
Vatche Boulghourjian’s film Tramontane – Rabih was the first Lebanese feature film selected in the 55th Semaine de la critique at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and won the Grand Rail d’or and several awards at international festivals.
Ziad Doueiri’s The Insult was the first Lebanese movie to be nominated for Best Foreign Langauge Film for the 2018 Oscars.
Julia won several prestigious acting awards:
- 2018: Jury Mention For Best Actress in Solitaire – Beirut International Women Film Festival.
- 2017: Special Prize of the Jury for Tramontane, Solitaire, and Go Home at the 6th edition of La Nuit Des Mabrouk.
- 2017: Best Leading Actress for Congratulations, a short film by Cynthia Sawma, at the 4th OIFF Turin Cinefest.
- 2016: Feature Muhr for Best Actress in a leading role in Tramontane – Rabih, a film by Vatche Boulghourjian, at the 13th Dubai International Film Festival.
- 2016: Best Leading Actress for Congratulations, a short film by Cynthia Sawma, at the 7th Cinemator Film Festival in Carros (France).
- 2013: Best Direction of a Play to the Lebanese University Institute of Fine Arts (2) for Jean-Luc Lagarce’s The Servants, translated into Arabic and directed by Julia Kassar, at the 8th edition of the Festival International de Théâtre Universitaire de Fès.
- 2013: Best Play Award for The Dictator, directed by Lina Abyad, at the 5th Arab Theatre Festival in Doha (Qatar).
- 2012: Best Leading Actress Award for Here Comes the Rain, directed by Bahij Hojeij, at the Malmö Arab Film Festival.
- 2012: Certificate of Appreciation for Best Supporting Actress for Al Shahroura, by Al Hasna’a viewers’ statistics for Ramadan 2011 TV series.
- 2011: El Arabi Doghmi Award for Best Leading Actress for Here Comes the Rain, directed by Bahij Hojeij, at the 17th Rabat International Film Festival.
- 2010: Murex d’Or for Distinguished Actress for Charbel, directed by Nabil Lebbos, at the 2010 Murex d’Or.
- 2004: Best Supporting Actress for Belt of Fire, directed by Bahij Hojeij, at the 20th edition of the Carthage Film Festival, Tunisia.
In 2017, she appeared on the silver screen in the following 7 feature films showing in Lebanon: Mahbas – Solitaire, by Sophie Boutros; Tramontane – Rabih, by Vatche Boulghourjian; Nour, by Khalil Zaarour; Go Home, by Jihane Chouaib; Yalla Aakbelkoun Chabeb, by Shadi Hanna; and The Insult, by Ziad Doueiri.
In March 2017, she starred in a new play entitled Close to Here, written and directed by Roy Dib, within the framework of the 13th Sharjah Biennial. The play was performed in Beirut’s Al Madina Theater on December 16 and 17, 2017.