A Conversation with Razan Saylami: From Lebanon to India’s Festival Spotlight

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Razan Saylami is one of the leading production designers working today. She has won many international awards. To name a few: Many Thousands Lost (American Black Film Festival and Cannes Short Film Corner), Blue Top (LA Shorts International Film Festival), The Yellow Subconscious of Sir Ben (Giffoni Film Festival, Italy). In 2025 she has continued impressing juries around the world especially in India. Her works were recognized in many Indian film festivals. Blood Relations at MIFF (Mumbai International Film Festival), Stolen Wishes at DSPFF (Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival), and The Void at JIFF (Jaipur International Film Festival). Along with this, her production design work on the music video with India’s Shubh reached millions.

In this interview, we will find out more about her international success and how her artistic vision matches with Indian cinema.

Q: Blood Relations was featured as an official selection at this year’s Mumbai International Film Festival; one of India’s most prestigious stages for short films. What does it mean to see your work being recognized by such a prestigious platform?

A: It’s fascinating. MIFF is a film festival with such a long history and diversity. Having our film selected alongside such high-caliber international works, is a recognition for our creative team. This gives us the needed confidence to go on and make a better craft in the future.

Q: Your short film Stolen Wishes was shown at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, not only that, it also secured a spot in the top ten short films of this year. What did this Indian honor mean to you as a designer?

A: Being recognized by DSPFF is such an honor. It’s great to see our work being noticed by a platform as prestigious as this. It drives me to create even better content in the future.

Q: Your short film The Void was screened at the Jaipur International Film Festival. Rewarded for utilizing breakthrough talent. What are the elements in Indian cinema and culture that inspire your approach in production designing?

A: India has an incredibly rich culture. An ordinary Indian household is filled with a variety of different textures and colors; I use that as my inspiration along with blending my own vision and thoughts with a strong Indian aesthetic.

Q: Your production design on the music video “Together” with Punjabi artist Shubh was a huge success on YouTube. The video even touched 17 million views. How was your experience collaborating with Shubh?

A: Working with Shubh was really exciting. We explored different cultures, going back to different eras. The story covered different decades and designing each decade was a fun challenge. World building the lives of those characters was special because we started in their early lives making this music video a period piece. The response from viewers has been heartwarming to say the least.

Q: Beyond your Indian achievements, your work has been celebrated in various festivals. Starting from Europe to North America, from Cannes to LA Shorts and Giffoni. What are the lessons you learnt from working on such a wide spectrum of films?

A: Every festival and culture has taught me something new. I’ve learned that originality in your craft is always rewarded irrespective of the location. I really enjoy world-building for different films and cultures.

Q: What is your advice to young designers from India who are inspired by your journey?

A: Stay curious and just keep experimenting. Working with international artists can offer great experiences and you should embrace those opportunities when they come. In the end, the most important thing remains staying true to your work.

As Razan Saylami’s journey continues to grow across continents she keeps proving that storytelling has no borders.

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