Fresh Faces

Youth and experience don’t always go together. But their style, beauty and know-how are fueling successful runs in all forms of media.

 

Arielle Dombasle (pictured above)

Her glamorous looks have moved her fellow French to call her one of the most beautiful women in the world. But it’s the mystique of this popular singer that has won the admiration of men of stature worldwide. Roman Polanski adores Arielle Dombasle’s passion, Omar Sharif her subtlety, Jean-Paul Belmondo her soul and Christian Lacroix her incandescence. Last year, Wrasse Records released Dombasle’s “Amor Amor,” and with its rich Mexican boleros mixed with a variety of other Latin flavors it remains one of ALO’s favorite CDs of 2006. “I wanted to express the ultra-emotional, sensitive and suffering side of this continent in relation to love,” declares Dombasle. She definitely succeeds there!

 

Hadi Amad Haddad

Hadi Amad Haddad, a modern Yemen poet, is determined to show the world that poetry can take many forms besides the beloved form it currently holds. “Poetry is alive and moving,” he says. “Language is not something to be taken for granted. It is ever evolving and we have ability to create. By discovering new capabilities of language and new styles with an eye on beauty and peace, we can give the world something it is lacking. My style is different, and most traditionalists are not willing to accept it. Once I realized this, I knew I was onto something special.”

Beirut International Marathon...the Beirut International Marathon now has over 20,000 runners from 60 plus nations. Marathon participants run for a cause, raising much needed money for worthwhile charities.

 

 

 

Wafah Dufour

“I understand that people want to focus on where I come from, but for me, it’s all about the music.”

One look into her eyes and you are lost in their depth. However after listening to a few tracks of her music, the intrigue factor rises for a different reason. Influenced by her love of Western music such as U2, Sade and the Cure, Dufour is beginning to make her mark crooning in the United States. “I understand that people want to focus on where I come from, but for me, it’s all about the music.”

To top it off, she recently inked a book deal with publishing giant Regan Media.

 

 

Marjan Faritous

Like so many born into countries of conflict, actress Marjan Faritous spent much of her childhood in Iran’s hideout cellars, where she and her cousins would entertain themselves watching Indian musicals and putting on their own plays in front of family members. After immigrating to the United States and devoting years to classical dancing and acting training, she landed a major role in 20th Century Fox’s “Color of the Cross,” and her career has spiraled upward since then. “I am driven to become the first Persian born actor to win an Oscar,” she proclaims.

 

 

 

 

Graeme Winder

Winder’s passion for music is only surpassed by a love to give. The energetic, amiable composer and performer uses his unique blend of classical piano and new age style to bring you music that caresses your soul.

His debut effort, “Concert in the Canyon,” this past November benefited the Mr. Holland`s Opus Foundation, and his current work with United Lebanon Relief will help raise funds for humanitarian aid for the children there.

“Music can reach places that words cannot,” he says. Well said!

 

 

 

Yunus Ghalib

When Bahraini exchange student Yunus Ghalib found out that a large percentage of local school kids in Mansfield, England, were starting their day without breakfast, he knew he needed to get involved somehow. That’s when he connected with the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation (NCF). He quickly scoured the area on behalf of the non-profit to convince local businesses to sponsor a child.

“Now we have almost 40 children using the program, where each business sends a monthly check to the school to cover hot breakfast costs. It is so wonderful to be giving so many healthy starts to the day. I want to do so much more.”

 

 

 

 

Janice Kakish

As an actress, Kakish has had enough luck to wind up on shows like “Entourage” and the acclaimed short film called “Telepath.” The Jordanian beauty has been named one of the top five models in Los Angeles by several print agencies, and she can often be seen at community events and festivals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shant Hamassian

The 22-year-old actor, writer, director Shant Hamassian says that getting the opportunity to premiere “The Slowww Zombie,” his first short film at the Cannes Film Festival, “was a combination of passion, desperation, love, and hard work.” Shot by the somewhat reclusive Hamassian on a ridiculously low budget, the film, became a favorite at the festival, gaining extensive media coverage.

“Nobody had any idea what an amazing visual and funny film they were about to watch. Jaws dropped,” he says. With a screenplay optioned and generating its own industry buzz, one can only imagine the impact this will have.

 

 

 

 

Yuli Jayaram

Top German designer Beate Huss made a splash at this summer’s World Cup with these evening outfits representing Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. However, we are most impressed  by international runway model Yuli Jayaram (left) and her dazzling style.

Anyone involved in the entertainment industry will tell you that thick skin and a pretty face is essential to “making it” in the entertainment world. Thanks to the Internet and 200-channel cable systems, getting your face on-screen and your entertainment career off the ground is simpler than ever.                        

That’s not to say these new stars have had it easy. Take a look at the new crop of talent hitting newsstands, concert halls, book stores and television screens worldwide, and others who just want to help the world be a better place.

 

 

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