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Elle Toussi

@elletoussi

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@boomdiamedia founder. Award winning Journo/producer NatGeo, CNN, CBS Local, Screen, BBC & NY Times.
Human to @thelucytoussi 🐶

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This film is about a nomadic culture. It’s also about the land.

Most people have never heard of the Sarıkeçili Yörüks. They are one of the last nomadic tribes in Türkiye, moving across the Taurus Mountains with their herds each season. My parents and I lived with them. We followed their migration on foot. What we were given was rare access into a world that very few outsiders have ever witnessed.

Their movement keeps the ecosystem alive. Their goats prevent wildfires, aerate and fertilize the soil, and protect biodiversity along routes that have been traveled for generations.

They didn’t have a name for what they were doing. They called it living.

Did you know soil can hold twice as much carbon as the atmosphere? Desertification is becoming one of the most urgent climate problems on earth. These nomads are part of the answer. Almost no one knows they exist.

Guardians of Anatolia, World Premiere at @mountainfilm, Telluride.

Friday May 22, 9 AM — Masons Hall
Sunday May 24, 3 PM — High Camp

Director Appearance: Saturday May 23, 8–9 AM — Artists & Iconoclasts Coffee Talk, Telluride Library

Turkish coffee and Turkish Delight will be served at the panel. We would love to see you there. 🌞

Produced by: @lizzyinfilms @elletoussi
EP: @baktashahadi @elifcuceloglubeall

I’m grateful for my friend @photophilbriggs for filming this interview and helping me spread the word ❤️

#GuardiansOfAnatolia #Yörük #regenerativeland #Turkiye #womenfilmmakers by @elletoussi

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5 months ago

The Dallas International Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Animated Short goes to THAT NIGHT!

That Night (@thatnightdoc) is an animated short documentary recounting the firsthand experience of women’s rights activist Neda Naji, who survived the terror from within Evin Prison on the night it went up in flames in October 2022. Blending visceral testimony with powerful visuals, the film reveals a night of chaos, fear, and violence—and the unbreakable sisterhood that rose from it.

#DIFF2026 #DallasFilm #DIFFDallas #DoFilmDIFF taken in Dallas, Texas by @elletoussi

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6 months ago

That Night director @hodasobhaniii spoke with @camanpour on @cnn about the film and the lasting impact of one night that still lives with Neda. Today, that story feels even more urgent: rights groups warn that political prisoners in Iran face escalating danger, including mass arrests, transfers, denial of medical care, and the risk of serious harm as conflict intensifies around prisons.

If one night can stay with someone forever, we can’t begin to imagine what those still behind bars are enduring now.

This film is a witness to survival, but also a reminder that for so many political prisoners in Iran, the nightmare is not over.

The interview will also air this evening on @pbs. taken in London, United Kingdom by @elletoussi

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7 months ago

Four years ago tonight, a fire broke out in Evin Prison.

October 15, 2022. Neda was inside.

Four years later, we still don’t know exactly what happened inside Evin that night. There are still so many unanswered questions. But we have Neda’s point of view, her testimony, her memories, and her voice, and that is the heart of THAT NIGHT.

I believe her story deserves to be heard and remembered.

Today, on the fourth anniversary of the fire, we want to remember why we made this film in the first place: for Neda, and for everyone who was inside Evin that night.

#evinfire
#womanlifefreedom by @elletoussi

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3 days ago

We’re so excited to share that THAT NIGHT is heading to the Newport Beach Film Festival! 🎬✨

We’re very happy to be part of the festival’s 27th edition and to have the chance to share THAT NIGHT with the Newport Beach audience alongside so many wonderful films.

Join us on Tuesday, October 20 at 8:30 PM at The Lot Theater, Screen 4, in Newport Beach, California.

If you’re in the area, we’d love to see you there and share THAT NIGHT with you on the big screen! ❤️ by @elletoussi

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16 days ago

🎬 We are excited to announce that “That Night” will be screening at the 28th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival in Crime Docs: Beyond the Bars! 🎥✨

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
🕓 4:45 PM – 6:30 PM CDT
📍 Sidewalk Cinema Theater A

If you’re in Birmingham, come join us for this screening as part of one of the Southeast’s most vibrant independent film festivals. We can’t wait to share this story with you on the big screen.

🎟️ Grab your tickets and festival info at sidewalkfest.com

See you there! 🍿 by @elletoussi

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2 months ago

We are honored to share that THAT NIGHT is the recipient of the Immaculate Heart Community Social Impact Award at the 30th LA Shorts International Film Festival.

Our deepest thanks to @lashortsfest and the Immaculate Heart Community for this meaningful recognition.

And a huge congratulations to the amazing team behind That Night, whose talent, dedication, and care brought this film to life.

Thank you to everyone who has believed in and supported That Night from the very beginning until today. This journey would not have been possible without you.🥂❤️ by @elletoussi

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2 months ago

We’re incredibly honored to share that That Night has received a Special Mention Award in the Human Rights Competition at the 17th Edition of the Anibar International Animation Festival.

Thank you to the jury and the entire Anibar team for this meaningful recognition.

The jury recognized That Night “for its powerful cinematic language, sensitive animated documentary approach, and courageous portrayal of women’s resistance and lived experiences.”

This award means so much to our entire team and, most importantly, to the courageous women whose stories continue to inspire this film.

Thank you, @anibar_official for believing in That Night. by @elletoussi

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2 months ago

We’re excited to share That Night will be screening at the LA Shorts International Film Festival. @lashortsfest

If you’re in Los Angeles, we’d love to see you there. Our producer, Elle Toussi @elletoussi will be attending the screening and would be delighted to meet you afterward.

📍Laemmle NOHO
5240 Lankershim Blvd. North Hollywood

📆 Thursday, July 30, 2026
⏲️ 7:45 PM

🎫 To purchase tickets, visit the link in our bio. by @elletoussi

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3 months ago

@guardiansofanatolia has won the Audience Award at Nevada City Film Festival. ❤️

I came to this country with a camera and a story I had to tell. Tonight, Nevada City gave it back to me, chosen by the audience.

When the people in the room choose your film, that is the one that stays with you.

Thank you Nevada City. Thank you to the team that made this film a reality. And thank you to the last nomadic tribe of Türkiye for letting me walk with you. This one is for them.

-Elif ❤️ #sarikecili #documentary by @elletoussi

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4 months ago

Last week, I received this beautiful trophy from @wearediffdallas
I’m deeply grateful for this recognition and for the support, encouragement, and belief in this film along the way.

There is still a long way to go, and I hope this is just the beginning. Here’s to reaching more audiences, creating more impact, and celebrating many more milestones ahead. by @elletoussi

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4 months ago

My first wiener fest and I came for the vibes, the fit, and allegedly a race. The beanie stays on. 🐾

See you out there @socalwienerfest — catch me at the @dachshundderby pretending I know what I’m doing. taken in Huntington Beach, California by @elletoussi

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5 months ago