Meet Soukaina Alaoui El Hassani | Producer & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Soukaina Alaoui El Hassani and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Soukaina, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
How intense and hard everything actually is. I think people get a little lost in the glitz and glam of this industry and believe that it’s pretty easy to make films and different kinds of content. It’s actually pretty challenging and every project has its quirks. I don’t want that to sound discouraging though, quite the opposite. I think the reason why I love this industry so much is that on every shoot I learn something new. It keeps you on your feet and affirms my belief in how awesome and creative this industry can be. It’s pretty fun being a producer because you meet so many cool people and you really bond over so many different creative aspects of a project. While it’s a tough place to be in, it’s worth the camaraderie, self-growth, and obviously the final product beit a film, a commercial or any other form of branded content.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m really proud of the work I’m doing at Versus right now as a Producer. I was able to produce MSG’s OOHs and MSG+ promos which have been so fun to make! I also produced the Paramount+ Global Campaign Promos which was really fun and a wonderful labor of love. I also worked on some really cool Audible projects like the Harry Potter promos and was also able to produce Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween. To see my work on the screen and around the city has been so cool and really exciting!
I’m also producing some really cool short films which are coming out in 2024. Lapse, a short horror and To Fade Away which is a biographical retelling of Lebanese inventor Kamal Al Sabah final days. I’m also producing a really cool project called BZRK which is shooting in February which I’m super excited about.
Looking back I’m proud of how far I’ve come. It’s so nice to see all the fruits of my labor. It took a lot of work to get to where I am. I acknowledge that I still have my work cut out for me, but it’s been so nice to be able to see my work around the city and acknowledge that I’m making an impact. I’m so thankful because everyone I work with and how I surround myself with is so supportive and they all are helping me tell my story.
It’s been a challenge to get to where I am. Being an immigrant, a woman, an Arab and a Muslim is no small feat in this country. It’s been vindicating to have the successes that I’ve been having. It’s also been fueling my ambition and it’s feeling like I’m coming into my own.
I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is consistency truly is key. I want to be able to represent Moroccan, Arab, and Muslim women like myself and help open doors for them and create safe spaces for them to be able to tell their stories. I want to be able to change the narrative around my people and how the world perceives us. I want the world to know how awesome we are and challenge whatever notions they have about my people who have been otherwise villainized or invisible to the world.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m huge on history so a museum would have to be part of the itinerary. I would also definitely take them to the opera. The next day we could go have a lovely brunch at a cute delicious place. I would take them to a cute little romance bookstore in Brooklyn called the Ripped Bodice and then we would probably end up at Seaport for dinner for drinks and dinner at the Jean George Tin Building. I would also at some point take them to do cool activity like axe throwing or archery for funsies!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?There are so many people who deserve a shoutout. I wouldn’t be here without the village that has supported and seen me through my struggles and insecurities.
My family for one, who’s always been a constant. I don’t tell them this enough, but I genuinely wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t always championed me the way they have, especially my sister.
My friends who have been on this insane ride with me, who have always kept me honest, called me out when needed, lifted me up, and loved me through the beautiful and ugly.
My professors and mentors at Fordham and NYU have always supported me and who have helped imbue me with the confidence and skills I have today.
And my new work family at Versus has pushed me and continues to push me to become a great producer (huge shoutout to the mentors I work with daily). I appreciate their trust and respect and I love that they are so supportive of my creative endeavors!
All in all, I’m all around grateful for how lucky and rich my life is. I’m feeling super blessed.
Website: www.saelhassani.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saelhassani/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salaouielhassani/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soukaina.alaoui.1441/
Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13032603/ Stage 32: https://www.stage32.com/salaouielhassani