French-Lebanese actress · Paris
IsabelleZighondi
إيزابيل زيغوندي
Actress · Dancer · Director
An international French-Lebanese actress and dancer who works in four languages.
- Playing age
- 17 to 35
- Languages
- French, Arabic, English, Italian
- Arabic
- Native Lebanese, Syrian (Damascus accent), other Middle Eastern dialects
- Based
- Paris, shoots in France, Lebanon, the Middle East, Europe
Biography
Born in Paris, Isabelle Zighondi is a French-Lebanese actress. She grew up between France and Lebanon; French and Arabic are her native languages and she is fluent in English and Italian.
At 17 she became a professional dancer with the Caracalla company in Beirut, performing as a dancer and performer on some of the world's most prestigious stages. After a degree in film and theatre at USEK she directed her first short, De l'autre côté, awarded in Lebanon, then returned to Paris for a master's in directing at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
She made her screen debut as the lead of Chloé Mazlo's Skies of Lebanon (Sous le ciel d'Alice), opposite Wajdi Mouawad, the playwright behind Incendies, alongside Alba Rohrwacher (Cannes Critics' Week 2020). Then came Memory Box by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, with Rim Turki, Manal Issa and Paloma Vauthier (Berlinale Competition 2021), Shahid Original series, then two leading roles in the mid-length films Doula, shot in Lebanon, and Madonna Adib's Overnight, broadcast on Arte, in which she acts in Syrian Arabic.
A doctoral researcher in film and dance at the University of Toulouse, she approaches screen acting through the body. She also writes and develops her own films.
Highlights
- Cannes 2020Skies of Lebanon, opposite Wajdi Mouawad. Critics' Week
- Berlinale 2021Memory Box, with Rim Turki and Manal Issa. Official Competition
- Arte 2025-2026Overnight, lead
- Traits d'union Festival 2026Winner, Wild Beyrouth
Videos
Showreel, scenes, dance and singing.
Filmography
Film, series, theatre and dance.
| Year | Title | Format | Director / production | Role and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wild Beyrouth | Theatre | Théâtre El Duende, Lavoir Moderne Parisien | LeadWinner, Traits d'union festival 2026 |
| 2025 | Overnight | Mid-length film | Madonna Adib. Georges Films (France, Lebanon) | LeadBroadcast on Arte. Cinemed festival 2025. Played in Syrian Arabic, Damascus accentWith: Kenda Hmeidan, Kinan Hmeidan, Hamza Hamadeh |
| 2025 | Doula | Mid-length film | Olive Tree Production, Fondation Liban Cinéma and Film London (Lebanon) | Lead |
| 2023 | Dahab: Bint Al Hotel | Series, Shahid Original | Mohamed Samir | With: Nour El Ghandour, Ahmed Shoaib, Rasha Bilal, Sami Abu Hamdan |
| 2023 | Flight 422 | Series, Shahid Original | Ashley Pearce | |
| 2022 | The Call | Short film (UK) | Shireen Ayache | Lead |
| 2021 | Memory Box | Feature film | Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige | Official Competition, Berlinale 2021, Golden Bear nominee. Haut et Court, Abbout Productions, micro_scopeWith: Rim Turki, Manal Issa, Paloma Vauthier, Clémence Sabbagh, Hassan Akil |
| 2021 | Call from Lebanon | Short film (Czech Republic) | Farah Abi Kharroub | Lead |
| 2020 | Skies of Lebanon (Sous le ciel d'Alice) | Feature film | Chloé Mazlo | Lead Mona Kamar, daughter of Wajdi Mouawad and Alba Rohrwacher on screenCannes Critics' Week selection 2020. Mobydick Films. She sings «La Chanson de Mona» live on screenWith: Wajdi Mouawad, Alba Rohrwacher, Odette Makhlouf, Hany Tamba, Darina Al Joundi, Mariah Tannoury |
| 2020 | State of Agitation | Feature film | Elie Khalifé | ShahidWith: Marwa Khalil, Talal Jurdi |
| 2019 | Now That We Are One | Short film (France) | Sara Tabsh | Lead |
| One Thousand and One Nights, The Silk Road | Dance theatre, Caracalla Dance Theatre | Caracalla company (Lebanon) | Dancer and performerWorld tour (Bolshoi Theatre, Beijing Opera House, Palais des congrès de Paris, etc.) |
Casting profile
An international French-Lebanese actress and dancer who works in four languages.
- Playing age
- 17 to 35
- Nationality
- French and Lebanese
- Based in
- Paris. Available to shoot in France, Lebanon, the Middle East, Europe and beyond
- French
- Native, no accent
- Arabic
- Native (Lebanese). Acts in Syrian Arabic with a Damascus accent: lead in Overnight (Arte). Other Arabic dialects prepared for a role
- English
- Fluent, acts in English (Flight 422, The Call)
- Italian
- Fluent
- Dance
- Professional dancer, Caracalla company (2014-2017). Dance theatre, contemporary oriental dance
- Singing
- Sings on screen (Skies of Lebanon)
- Also
- Director and writer, doctoral research on acting and dance
Photos
Portraits and on-set images. High resolution on request.
Background
Training and dance
- 2020-2026PhD in film and dance, acting for the screenUniversity of Toulouse (ENSAV)
- 2017-2019Master's in film directingUniversité Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
- 2014-2017Double degree in film and theatreUSEK, Kaslik, Lebanon
- 2014-2017Professional dancerCaracalla Dance Theatre, Beirut
Directing
- 2017De l'autre côtéShort film, 15 min. First prize, Douma festival 2017. Selected in Manchester, Miami, Warsaw, Batroun, Caribbean
- In developmentLe miracle de JeanneCo-written with Zoé Bertemont. Île-de-France Region writing grant 2026
- Shooting 2027Je ne veux pas dormirWriter, director and lead
Frequently asked questions
Which languages does Isabelle Zighondi speak?
French and Arabic are her native languages. She also speaks and acts fluently in English and Italian.
Can she play Arabic accents or dialects?
Yes. Lebanese by birth, she is native in Levantine Arabic. She played the lead in Madonna Adib's Overnight (Arte) in Syrian Arabic with a Damascus accent, and prepares other Middle Eastern dialects and accents for a role.
What is her playing age?
Her playing age is 17 to 35.
Is she also a dancer?
Yes. She danced professionally with the Caracalla company in Lebanon from 2014 to 2017 and her doctoral research focuses on acting and dance.
What films has she been in?
Skies of Lebanon by Chloé Mazlo (lead opposite Wajdi Mouawad, Cannes), Memory Box (Berlinale), Doula (lead), Overnight (Arte), State of Agitation, and the Shahid series Dahab and Flight 422.
Which actors has she worked with?
Wajdi Mouawad, Alba Rohrwacher, Odette Makhlouf and Darina Al Joundi in Skies of Lebanon; Rim Turki, Manal Issa, Paloma Vauthier and Clémence Sabbagh in Memory Box; Kenda Hmeidan in Madonna Adib's Overnight. She has been directed by Chloé Mazlo, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Elie Khalifé, Mohamed Samir and Ashley Pearce.
Where is she based and how to contact her?
She lives in Paris and works internationally. Contact: isabellezighondicontact@gmail.com.