Private Project

Tabbeh

Best friends Farha and Rosa catch up on the latest gossip in town, with a round of Tabbeh and two cups of chai.

  • Sarah Ghassali
    Director
    La Tansouna
  • Sarah Ghassali
    Writer
    La Tansouna
  • Grace Hird
    Producer
  • Mira Fares
    Key Cast
    "Rosa"
  • Cedra Barrini
    Key Cast
    "Farha"
  • Bella Salvatore
    Cinematographer
  • Gaia Mitting
    Sound Design
    La Tansouna
  • Sarah Jones
    Production Design
  • Sarah Jones
    Editor
  • Grace Hird
    Editor
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    طبّة
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Magical Realism, Childrens, Arabic, Drama, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 19, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Swinburne University Of Technology
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Melbourne Women In Film Festival
    Melbourne
    Australia
    March 22, 2025
    Melbourne Premier
    Best Victorian Short Film
  • North Bellarine Film Festival
    Geelong
    Australia
    November 16, 2024
    Australian
    Emerging Filmmaker Award 2025 Nomination
  • Setting Sum Film Festival

    Australia
Director Biography - Sarah Ghassali

Sarah Ghassali is a 22-year-old Syrian-Australian filmmaker based in Melbourne. Having completed a Bachelor of Film and Television (Honours), Sarah has been writing, directing and working within the lighting department since 2020. She enjoys telling Arabic stories with real tenacity, rawness and breaking apart stereotypes of multicultural storytelling.

Her previous film La Tansouna screened at 12 festivals around the world including Multicultural Film Festival, Melbourne Women in Film Festival and Australian Independent Film Festival. It won Audience Choice Award at ReelOzInd Festival.

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Director Statement

'Tabbeh' is the game I played in 2012 with my friends in Aleppo, Syria. I'm not sure if it still exists - but I wanted to create this story of Farha and Rosa, playing Tabbeh, without boundaries. This is to push the limits of Arabic storytelling - one that is isn't entrenched in war, trauma and migration, but instead of childhood, innocence and the power of play.