David F. Shamoon

David F. Shamoon is a Canadian screenwriter, best known for his screenplay for the film In Darkness (2011). Directed by Agnieszka Holland, the film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012.[1]

Life and career

Shamoon was born and raised in India, the son of Iraqi-Jewish refugees of the 1941 Farhud in Baghdad.[2][1][3] He attended Cathedral School in Mumbai (now the Cathedral & John Connon School). His family moved to Iran, where he attended Community School, Tehran). He moved to the United States for college, graduating from Boston University in 1970. That year he moved to Canada.[1]

Shamoon successfully worked in advertising for many years before trying screenwriting, first as a hobby, but eventually as a career. He studied the craft under veteran story editor Nika Rylski and wrote several scripts, some of which were optioned.[1] In Darkness, based on Robert Marshall's book In the Sewers of Lvov (1991), marked his first attempt to adapt a book for film. Shamoon garnered a Genie Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 32nd Genie Awards.[1]

Shamoon has since tackled several new projects which are in various stages of development.

References
  1. "Canadian roots grow at Oscars". The Chronicle-Herald, February 17, 2012.
  2. Bloom, Nate (February 21, 2012). "Interfaith Celebrities: Oscar Time! Jewish/Interfaith Nominees". interfaithfamily.com. The adapted screenplay is by (non-nominee) David Shamoon, 64, a Canadian who was born in India. He's the son of Iraqi Jews who fled Iraq following the infamous 1941 Baghdad pogrom.
  3. Bloom, Nate (February 15, 2012). "Jewish Stars: Oscar time". Cleveland Jewish News.
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