VMA award was an honour

Sanaa Hamri Casablanca - Yousra El Asri With an ever brightening star in Hollywood, Sanaa Hamri is a household name in the US because of her role as director of hit television drama “Desperate Housewives”. The daughter of acclaimed artist Mohamed Hamri, Sanaa is also a renowned art director in the US, having moved there when she was 14. Having won many awards for her work, Sanaa has big names in her directorial portfolio, including the music videos of Prince, Mariah Carey, Sting, Christina Aguilera and Lenny Kravitz. Arabstoday held an exclusive interview with the Moroccan-born director. Arabstoday: What is your relationship with Morocco like? Sanaa Hamri: I visit my beloved country whenever I have a chance. My presence in Morocco gives me a chance to think again in my Moroccan origin and my city, Tangiers, because it has a very good, deep effect on me. AT: How could you convey your father’s art in you works? SH: The colours I use in cinema directing and video clips reflect the art that my father conveyed to me, and that it is inside my veins. It also reflects the variety and the rich Moroccan culture. AT: What did your father (may God have mercy on him) convey to you in addition to the art? SH: My father (may God have mercy on him) taught me many values, above all being proud of my roots. When I was a child he would tell me to be proud of my country, Morocco, because there is no any other country like it in the whole world. AT: Working in the US has helped you win many awards, the most important being your recent MTV Video Music Awards, Has the industry been fair to you? SH: I think it has been fair to me, and I can’t describe my happiness at winning at the VMAs for the video I shot for singer Kylie Minogue. It was an honour for me and proved that I chose the right career. AT: You traveled to the US so early; did not you fear failure? SH: I left my city Tangier and traveled to the US, after I got a scholarship to study in the  Sarah Lawrence school in New York, when I was 17 years old. I did not hesitate to discover the country, and found myself directing. I did not fear failure, because this removes the feeling of enjoying discovery and success. AT: Your mother is American, did that help you adapt quickly to American society? SH: My mum’s origins helped me somehow, maybe from a language point of view and learning American culture. But I think adaptation depends on how an individual deals with society. AT: How did  you start directing music videos? SH: After my studies, I found myself inclined to directing such things, so I trained with great directors like Hebei Williams, Brett Ramer, and Paul Hunter and started to direct videos of my own productions, until Prince asked me to make the direct to video film of him in concert at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts video, called “Life at Aladdin in Las Vegas ". AT: Did you need to double your efforts to establish your Moroccan roots? SH: I felt at first that I had to do that, but after that, I found that when somebody believes in their abilities and introduces good work, it will find prominence. So I did not hesitate for one day to express my bond with Morocco, and proudly stood by my culture and Moroccan identity. I think this makes others respect me. Succeeding anywhere needs constant work. AT: How did you manage American and Moroccan cultures? SH: (Laughs) When my mum met my dad, she lived with him in Morocco, and did not go back to her homeland. Even when she was visiting the US, she would quickly return to Morocco. Moroccan culture has hence always been the dominating one. AT: Is there is much censorship in the US? SH: There is distinctly no censorship in the US, artists are free and can say whatever they wants to whoever they want. AT: What is the reason for the migration of talented Moroccans to the US? SH: There is no specific reason for that and I think work culture in the US is good for those who have talent and work hard to succeed. AT: You worked in cinema too early, and achieved big success in the “Desperate Housewives” series, will you keep working this way or are you happy with only directing video clips? SH: I achieved success in my film beginnings through the success of romantic comedy “New Something”, which helped my career grow. I was asked to direct “Desperate Housewives” which was very successful. I’ll not limit myself to directing music videos, but I’ll direct any work which will add to my artistic portfolio. AT: What's next on your plate? SH: I directed “The Sisterhood for Travelling Pants” which released finally and I am about direct a new series called “Bounce”. I am also studying new projects. AT: Do you think of returning to Morocco and settle there? SH: I do think about that, but I need the same level of the international production to help me as a director to be creative and work well. AT: Are you preparing for any projects in Morocco? SH: I am about finishing a Moroccan movie in the local language, and will then translate it. The idea came after I met Moroccan writer Laila al-Alamy who lives in Los Angeles, and she showed me her script on how Moroccans see abroad as a better option than their own country. However, this in not right, and the movie talks about four Moroccans who discover that foreign lands are not “El Dorado".