Connection profile
William Okaily
Artist · Educator · Writer
Connection with Alex
Alex and William studied in MICA’s Mount Royal multidisciplinary MFA programme: Alex in the class of 2023 and William in the class of 2024. Their shared work spans film and performance, including āh, 1975–2019, In My Space, Paradise and My All. They also exhibited together in Holding Tension in 2022 and Asia North in 2023.
Work & recognition
Projects, programmes and milestones. Each entry explains its relationship and attribution.
55 entries
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
In commonShared work
Exhibition graphics · 2022
Interlude
- William Okaily
- Exhibiting artist & student co-curator
- Alex Dahdah
- Graphic designer · exhibition material & posters
In commonShared education
Classes of 2023 & 2024 · Shared education · Maryland Institute College of Art
Mount Royal · Multidisciplinary MFA
Both studied in MICA’s Mount Royal multidisciplinary MFA programme, in adjacent graduating classes.
- Alex Dahdah
- MFA, Multidisciplinary Art · Mount Royal School of Art
- Class of 2023
- William Okaily
- MFA, Multidisciplinary Art · Mount Royal School of Art
- Class of 2024
In commonExhibited in the same show
2–10 December 2022 · Exhibited in the same show · Mount Royal exhibition archive and dated poster
Holding Tension
William Okaily and Alex were both exhibiting artists in Holding Tension (2–10 December 2022).
In commonExhibited in the same Asia North show
5 May–3 June 2023 · Exhibited in the same Asia North show · Station North · Asia North 2023 programme
Asia North 2023 · TRANSition / TRANSformation / TRANScendence
William Okaily and Alex were both exhibiting artists in Asia North 2023 · TRANSition / TRANSformation / TRANScendence (5 May–3 June 2023).
In commonWork recognition
Lift-Off Global Network
Official selection
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Documented on the film’s FilmFreeway page and poster
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
New Cinema Lisbon Monthly Film Festival
Finalist
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Documented on the film’s FilmFreeway page and poster
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Rome International Movie Awards
Honorable mention
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Listed on the film’s FilmFreeway page
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Cult Movies International Film Festival
Best Female Director
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Cult Movies International Film Festival · first-season winnersRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Rome Independent Film Awards
Official selection
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Listed on the film’s FilmFreeway page
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Vesuvius International Film Festival
Best Actress
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Documented on the film’s FilmFreeway page and poster
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Europe Film Festival U.K.
Best Drama Film
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Documented on the film’s FilmFreeway page and poster
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Rio International Monthly Awards Film Festival
Best Actress; Best Supporting Actress; Best Production Design; Best Original Soundtrack
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Listed on the film’s FilmFreeway page
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Brazil International Monthly Independent Film Festival
Best Director; Best Actress; Best International Short Film
For My All
Alex Dahdah · Production design & assistant direction
Listed on the film’s FilmFreeway page
Film’s public FilmFreeway listingRecognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonWork recognition
Recognition is attributed to the work or named recipient.
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Artists United Times Square Equibition
Exhibition · New York
Times Square
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Interlude · AUB Studio Arts final exhibition
Exhibition · Beirut
AUB Rose and Shaheen Saleeby Museum
AUB · exhibition, opening and student co-curatorsIn commonExhibition, screening or performance
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
IndieX Film Fest
Annual Award Nominee · United States
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Las Cruces International Film Festival
Official Selection · United States
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Top Indie Film Awards
Official Selection · Nominee: Best Student Film · Japan
Official Winter 2020 results
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Watersprite Film Festival
Official Selection · United Kingdom
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
First-Time Filmmaker Sessions
Official Selection · United Kingdom
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Karnavati International Film Festival
Official Selection · India
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Tracce Cinematografiche Film Fest
Official Selection · Italy
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Spring Grove Caledonia Film Festival
Official Selection · United States
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Global Youth Film Festival
Official Selection · Bangladesh
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Aurora Film Festival
Official Selection · Italy
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
GlennFest Film Festival
Official Selection · United States
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
IndieX Film Fest
Award of Excellence (Special Mention) · United States
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Hilltop Film Festival of Diversity and Inclusion
Official Selection · United States
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Andromeda Film Festival
Official Selection · Turkey
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Hidalgo Film Fest
Official Selection · Mexico
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
LIFFT
Nominee · India
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
NewFilmmakers LA
Official Selection for InFocus Middle Eastern Cinema · United States
Festival programme
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
In commonExhibition, screening or performance
Don’t Be Scared, Sweetheart, It’s Fireworks
Performance · Beirut
Irwin Hall Auditorium, Lebanese American University
LAU event calendarIn commonExhibition, screening or performance
In commonCoverage of the work
LAU News · 2019
Institutional article1975–2019: memory takes the stage.
Coverage of Lina Abyad’s theatre production, in which Alex performed. The article follows the production’s response to war, memory and the October 2019 protests.
Institutional feature · Production context
Fall Major Theater Production: 1975-2019
Discusses Lina Abyad’s production, in which Alex performed.
In commonCoverage of the work
Elaph · 2019
Cast interviewA conversation with the cast of 1975–2019.
A filmed cast interview about Lina Abyad’s production. Interview in Arabic.
Cast interview · Arabic
أبطال مسرحية "1975-201" ثائرون لأجل لبنان الوطن بلا حرب
A conversation with performers from 1975–2019, including Alex.
In commonCoverage of the work
L’Orient-Le Jour · 2019
Theatre review1975–2019: war, revolution and the stage.
Edgar Davidian reviews Lina Abyad’s production, discussing its minimal staging, cast performances and dialogue between civil-war memory and the 2019 protests. Review in French.
Theatre review · Named cast credit
« 1975-2019 », guerre et révolution, témoignages et projections...
In commonCoverage of the work
LAU News · 2021
Related collection coverageD2D receives LAU’s Prix du Jury.
Coverage of Nour Takieddine’s award-winning D2D fashion collection. Alex shared art direction to a film for the collection; the award recognizes the collection and designer.
Alex’s contribution to the related film
D2DAlex · Co-production designerInstitutional feature · Fashion collection
Rise: Showcasing the Work of Fashion Design Graduates
Records the Prix du Jury awarded to Nour Takieddine’s D2D collection. Alex shared art direction to the separate D2D fashion film.
Wider workFurther reading & conversations
RVA Magazine
Writing on contemporary art
Okaily’s author archive includes his reporting and conversations about artists and exhibitions.
Sources checked
About & links
12 cards · All
Bio
Biography
William Okaily is a multidisciplinary artist and writer whose work moves between image, performance, material processes and criticism. His artist biography traces a practice concerned with perception, myth and oral histories. His education spans studio art at the American University of Beirut and graduate study at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Bio
Approach & practice
His published biography connects material experimentation with questions of perception and inherited stories, drawing on myth, oral histories and philosophical ideas of nothingness.
Experience
Research · Phase III
Antioch Recovery Project
The project’s team page lists William Okaily as a Phase III student investigator.
Education
2024 · VisArts artist biography
MFA · Mount Royal School of Art
Multidisciplinary Art at MICA, with a curatorial practice minor and a College Teaching of Art certificate.
Education
2022 · VisArts artist biography
BA · studio art
American University of Beirut, with a media and communication minor.
Links
Explore
Artist’s website
Artworks and current artist information.
Links
Professional presence
Links
Explore
Writing for RVA Magazine
Read his published art and cultural criticism.
Sources
Sources & credits · 1
Sources
Sources & credits · 2
Sources
Sources & credits · 3
Sources
Sources & credits · 4
Sources checked