Harper’s Bazaar Arabia 200th Anniversary Issue: Dhafer L’Abidine and Raya Abirached On The Bond That Cinema Brings

Introducing the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia x Cartier LOVE cover series, celebrating the 200th April 2025 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia…

Having bonded through their mutual love of cinema and exchanging creative ideas about film, the friendship between Dhafer L’Abidine and Raya Abirached is now forever cemented in mutual respect.

Given that Raya Abirached has interviewed all the leading lights of the film world internationally, its no wonder that the Lebanese Arabs Got Talent host’s first meeting with Dhafer L’Abidine was when the Tunisian actor and director sat in front of her in the hot seat to give her the ‘scoop’ on his movie in May 2020. It was the height of the COVID crisis, and although they met in London’s Embankment, with the two-metre distance rule strictly enforced, they immediately clicked over their shared passion for the craft of filmmaking. The relationship is based on a deep mutual admiration, and intense knowledge of the realm both of them have established themselves in, though in vastly different ways.

“We bonded over our mutual love for cinema, for directing, for producing, for exchanging ideas about movies,” says Raya, even though both had followed each other’s careers prior to their in-person introduction. “So, Dhafer and I met in the context of cinema, of movies, shows and interviews.” The fact that this duo, whose lives revolve around the movie sphere forged a bond is unsurprising. “Growing up, films made an impact on me because they allowed me to visit places I never knew existed. Different cultures, different ways of doing things,” recalls Dhafer. “They opened my eyes to what’s happening in places that maybe are 5,000 or 6,000 kilometres away from where I lived. Before travelling – more than anything else – cinema was very, very important. It gave me a view on the world and how you can have different points of view about the same thing, depending on where you are and how you’ve been brought up.”

Raya agrees on the impact the art form has had in her life. “Cinema is everything to me. If you look at my Instagram account, that’s the first thing I wrote,” says Raya. “Movies are everything to me. Cinema is how I see life, how I live my life, how I plan my life, how I enjoy my life. It’s just, you know, it’s everything to me. My love of cinema started when I was very young, I did it as a job. It’s something that I’m very, very passionate about and attached to.” “I think to be involved in cinema in any way – whether as a writer or an actor or a director – you need to be interested in life in general,” Dhafer tells us. “You need to be interested in human stories, to be interested in relationships, and in all these components of life. So the more you have an interest in all those things – whether an emotional journey or a story between characters – all that will make you a better writer, director or actor.”

Dhafer further emphasises the impact that moviemaking can have, adding that, “Through cinema, I became more open to things. I have more understanding and more empathy for what’s going on around me. So I think cinema influenced my life a lot and vice versa. It goes both ways.” They both also see a clear opportunity to put the region on the global filmmaking map, highlighting the creativity of the region and putting forward a Middle Eastern point of view.

Raya feels that the narrative about productions from here not being on par with international standards is an outdated viewpoint. “There were a lot of reservations about it maybe 10 years ago when Arab talent were not as famous as they are now. The situation is getting much more interesting now where Arab talent is being curated for film festivals. You see a lot more movies from the region. You see a lot more talents from our region being represented.” She also feels like personalities such as Dhafer are an intrinsic part of that sea change. “Dhafer worked with so many international filmmakers. He was in The Eddy, the Netflix TV series. Basically, we’re starting to see a lot of Arab talent on the international scene, and I think that’s going to grow more and more.”

When the two muse on what draws them together, the basis of this firm friendship, the answer is clear: “Mutual respect and understanding,” says Dhafer, immediately. “Because of the journey we had to take for our careers – we understand what it takes. That also reflects in the way we deal with each other – with a lot of respect, and that’s very, very important in any friendship.” He adds that his friend is, “Super talented, a role model – and generous.” Raya echoes these sentiments almost exactly when she says they have a deep-seated, “mutual respect for each other’s talent. We are kindred spirits of cinema. If you hear us talk, our conversations are all about making movies, enjoying movies and the people we’ve worked with. This is what bonds us – this love of cinema.” It could be easily said that for these two kindred spirits, film was their first – and most enduring – love.

Given their lyrical pursuits, how would they define the intensity of the emotion? “Love is what makes things tick, what makes things work, what makes binds people together. Whether in friendship, a relationship or passion for whatever you do in life, love is what keeps things going the right way,” says Raya. “Once you have love in your life, there’s a lot of fulfilment in that life. It could be in any form: love of nature, friendship, a marriage. In life, once you have love, then so many other things come with it. It brings joy to whatever you do, so love is very important.” Raya ends on a personal note; “I love movies, my daughter, and my husband, of course!” She tries to define the emotion, adding, “It means not having to try hard. Something that is so spontaneously inherent to your feelings that you never question it. This is what love is. It’s very much unconditional. It’s not needing to make an effort. It’s just there. You just spontaneously love. This is what true love is.”

Lead Image Credits: Raya and Dhafer wear Cartier Love Jewellery, all Cartier
Raya wears: Blazer, Trousers, both Marella. Dhafer wears: Shirt, Stylist’s own.

Editor-in-Chief: Olivia Phillips. Acting Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Serin. Creative Director: Marne Schwartz, Tamim Mortaza; Vice President: Farrah Taylor. Group Managing Editor & Words: Natasha Faruque. Art Director: Paul Solomons. Photographer: Mattia Guolo, Vladimir Marti. Movement: Jamie Neale, Adrien Galo. Production: Steff Hawker, Jean-Marc Mondelet. Make-up Direction: Anna Sadamori, Raffaele Romagnoli. Set Styling: Camille Rousseau. Videography: Maycon Dehan. Fashion: Gabriela Cambero, Charlotte Marsh-Williams. Hair Direction: Jean-Luc Amarin, Adam Garland. Nail Artist: Nafissa Djabi, Leyla Mistry. Photography Assistants: Alessia Azzolini, Alessio Spanu, Manfredi Prestigiacomo, Macky Navarro; Videography Assistants: Larissy Leandro. Production Manager: Gijo Thomas. Image Editor: Jemima Joy. Production Coordination: Erin Steel, Chloe Christodoulou, Marina Moravenova. Hair Assistants: Tracey Nguyen, Yihan Jen, Ziyan Zhang, Wenting Zhangn, Bella Hudgell. Make-up Assistants: Ismahane Benabbou, Natalia Bokan, Roberto Meloni, Sitara Nash, Gabriel Leggieri. Nail Assistants: Yasmine Hilali. Editorial: Milli Midwood, Meeran Mekkaoui.