Karina Dandashi is a talented and accomplished first-generation Arab-American Muslim writer, director, and actor, born and raised in the vibrant city of Pittsburgh. Despite her roots, Karina identifies as a diasporic sad girl, driven by a passion to create art that reflects her complex emotions and experiences. Her filmmaking endeavors delve into the intricacies of identity, skillfully weaving together themes of family, religion, and culture within the contexts of Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) and Muslim communities in America.
Karina's impressive credentials include being a 2020 Silver Sun Diverse Voices Creative Culture Fellow at the Jacob Burns Film Center and a 2021 Sundance Ignite Fellow. Her work has garnered significant recognition, with a feature in Marie Claire's inaugural Creators Issue, where she was named one of the "Top 21 Creators to Watch" in 2022. Additionally, her debut feature script, OUT OF WATER, has been selected by Film Independent for the 2023 Screenwriting Lab.
