Raed Gilliam

Raed is a strong communicator and a dedicated storyteller with a global outlook. Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, his life has been one long cross-cultural experience, sparking in him a desire to tell stories that build empathy and understanding. He graduated in 2022 from the University of Virginia, where he was privileged to direct, film, and edit the first ever student-produced documentary for Dr. Larry Sabato's UVA Center for Politics, "Common Grounds?", a short documentary that investigates the hot topic political issues among college students at UVA and brings together students from across the political spectrum. He has a track record of using filmmaking to promote positive change around the world. He created promotional videos for "Watering Wilted Dreams", an initiative to provide Syrian refugee youth in Lebanon with better educational resources, in the midst of a humanitarian crisis and for "Home of Hope", an orphanage for undocumented orphans in Lebanon. His film productions have taken him from places like Sydney, Australia to Glacier National Park in Montana. When he is not making films he can be found perfecting his coffee connoisseurship or catching up on a good book. He secretly hopes that Manchester United will one day ask him to make a documentary about his favorite football club.