Meet Lara Mamoun | Award-Winning Screenwriter, Director, Comedian & Singer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lara Mamoun and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lara, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe that the key to my success so far has been perseverance, the need for growth, as well as the belief in myself and in my abilities. Work isn’t easy, but if you enjoy what you’re doing, then it becomes fulfilling and that’s how I feel about the projects I’m tied to. Success takes hard, but necessary work, dedication and faith. Everything I choose to pursue deserves my time and commitment, and so I knew early on that I had to have faith in my abilities in order to set goals, otherwise it’d be wishful thinking. Before tackling any obstacle, I must first have an open mind to know that anything is possible. Once I know that I can do it, that’s when I start putting in the work to materialize my dreams, and throughout the process I remain patient with myself and my journey. I don’t compare myself to others, for we all succeed at different stages in our lives and at different things. As long as I have the vision and the will, then I know that success will follow. And that’s not to say that success comes without failure, because we live in a world run by trial and error, and so it’s necessary to learn, improve and grow. Whenever I fail at something, I don’t see it as a setback, but as an inspiration to keep going until I learn to get better at what it is I’m doing. As long as I continue to trust myself, then I know I can accomplish everything I set my mind to.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Art has always been my passion and well, my purpose. I’m a multi-Award-winning Screenwriter, Director, Comedian and Singer. I spend most of my time going back and forth between my scientific endeavors and my artistic inclinations. I love writing, acting, drawing, filming, singing and making music. In 2013, I published my book of poetry, called ‘Broken Bells’ and in 2016, I started my production company, ‘Colab Productions’. I’ve been writing, directing and producing my scripts since then. I’ve been fortunate enough to gain a series of accolades for my work, and had my projects screened at local and international Film Festivals. I directed, wrote, produced and acted in my first Sci-Fi Thriller short Film, entitled ‘MyWorld’, that screened at the Plaza Theater in Atlanta in 2020. As of 2021, I’m a Cast member in the Atlanta-based live sketch comedy show, called ‘The Going Live Show’. This wonderful show directed by Tracey Fobbs, is a re-adaptation of ‘In Living Color’ and it features comedic sketches, musical guests and dance performances. I also recently worked as a Second Assistant Director and Script Supervisor in the upcoming Netflix movie, ‘The Drone that Saved Christmas’, directed by the wonderful Miriam Bavly. I love working, and so, keeping myself preoccupied with different artistic projects keeps me both grounded and inspired. With that being said, it’s important to know that the opportunities I’ve been blessed with didn’t come along easily. I had to work hard towards them for many years but it’s worth it, because I love everything that I’m doing now. I’m really excited to be launching my music career as ‘Elle Moon’ and to release my first EP, ‘Purple Skies’. I’ve been wanting to share my music with the world for so long, but wanted to first find my voice and sound. This summer I’m hoping the world will enjoy my music and will come to find the beauty in the love I put in this album, as well as the music videos that will accompany it. All in all, I love working in the Entertainment industry, and I will continue to share my art, restless passions and authentic Self with the world for the rest of my life.

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?
If I did have ‘friends’ as you may say, I would recommend many wonderful places. I love exploring the city and its many gems by walking around and using Marta. One of the many things I personally love about the city beyond the food and the beautiful people, is Atlanta’s blending of parks, natural preserves and trees with the busy city center’s grand skyscrapers. I’d recommend taking a nice walk from Buckhead to Downtown. If my friends were with me then we’d first go to the Woodruff Arts Center to immerse ourselves in the art exhibitions, and then we’d go enjoy some crêpes at ‘Café Intermezzo’, a wonderful European café in Midtown. After indulging in some tasty treats, we would continue our journey down Peachtree road to admire the beautiful architecture of the churches and landmark hotels, such as the Georgian Terrace. We would then pass by the Fox Theater, to watch a play be performed. When continuing down Peachtree, we would pass by my former college Georgia State University’s campus, as it holds a special place in my heart. On the weekends we would go enjoy the colorful sights of Little Five Points, where we’d visit Crystal boutiques, such as ‘Crystal Blue’. There are a lot of exciting people, Artists and Creatives that we’d encounter during our visit. Once ‘7 Stages’ opens back up, I’d recommend enjoying local plays and artists’ exhibitions. Other places I’d recommend around town would be Decatur, Roswell and Virginia Highlands. I do so appreciate their cute restaurants, parks and little boutiques. For food lovers I’d recommend ‘Nicolas’, a traditional Lebanese restaurant, ‘Sahara Cafe’ for Mediterranean food, ‘Delbar’ for Persian cuisine, ‘Sweet Hut’ for amazing Korean deserts, and finally, ‘Bistro Niko’ for scrumptious French cuisine.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The person that has contributed and continues to contribute to my success is my younger sister Natasha Mamoun. We’ve been best friends since we were children, and she’s always believed in me and in my dreams. She’s the only person who supports me in my trying times, and celebrates me in my triumphant ones. She’s quite a remarkable woman, an Industrial Engineer, Public Speaker and Entrepreneur whose accomplishments are far too long to be noted down here. Beyond her incredible wit and intellect, she is a kind and compassionate friend who continues to inspire me everyday. I watch her go out of her way to help her friends and strangers in whatever it is they need, without them even asking her. She’s blessed with our mother’s heart of gold and our father’s great intellect. I cherish every moment I get to spend with her, and I know for a fact that my life and story wouldn’t be the same without her. Beyond Natasha, I admire my wonderful parents and family. I also find inspiration in other incredible men and women that have come before me. George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, Jon Stewart, Khalil Gibran, Voltaire, Kanye West, Tina Fey, Oprah Winfrey, Halsey and Beyoncé  – these are just some of the many incredible people I look up to.

Website: www.laramamoun.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laramaamoun/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-mamoun-16b273108

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCt5KgdQ5zCvYpc2RARepNg/videos

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11863841/