Cinema of Belonging: Elias Feghaly Founds KULLI Atelier Films
By Alisha Proffitt • Photos By Kathryn Harrington
Upon meeting Elias Feghaly, one of the first things you might notice about him is his warmth and kindness. He is a man of passion. Passion for people. Passion for expression. For art. Recently, Elias has found the outlet where all of his different passions and experiences can intersect. A creative emulsification and expression of everything that excites him in life.
Born in Lebanon, Elias has spent years working and collaborating in film, theater, fashion, fine jewelry, and perfumery. He has a glowing enthusiasm for the relationships between art and community, and what can be achieved through them. In October of this year, KULLI Atelier Films was established, a Louisville nonprofit dedicated to supporting Lebanese and Arab filmmakers and storytellers, both behind and in front of the camera.
"KULLI means ‘all of me’ in Arabic. I don't want to separate the Lebanese, American, queer, filmmaker, artist, or business owner parts of myself. KULLI Atelier Films is about embracing all of who we are and creating a space where other storytellers can do the same."
After seven years in the corporate grind, Elias used his savings to open his perfume and fine jewelry design space, KULLI Atelier, at the Mellwood Art Center, his first major step towards embracing his dreams. His investment in Louisville’s arts community throughout that journey has given him a real appreciation for collaboration. Establishing a nonprofit gives that appreciation a more lasting structure: "I have loved connecting with artists and filmmakers throughout the years, and now, with the right board members, we can focus on vocations like teaching film, inspiring storytelling through film, nurturing the next generation of artists, and creating opportunities for Lebanese, Arab, and other underrepresented storytellers right here in Louisville."
The need is particularly evident in Louisville from Elias' perspective. He has pretty regularly found himself to be the only Lebanese person in a room of local film and theater artists. "Growing up, when I did see Arab people on screen, they were often typecast as terrorists, villains, or very specific stereotypes. I want to see Lebanese and Arabic people as the stars. I want us behind the camera and in front of it—not because the story requires an 'Arabic character,' but because we're actors, directors, writers, designers, musicians, and storytellers with vibrant stories to tell." Though KULLI Atelier Films will not be exclusive to Lebanese and Arabic performers and filmmakers, it will provide a support network that has long been desired within those communities.
"Storytelling brings people together, especially people from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. The more Lebanese and Arabic voices we have both behind and in front of the camera, the more opportunities we have to understand one another and to learn that we have so much in common."
Louisville has a close-knit creative community, he says, where one introduction can lead to a collaboration. He envisions the city as a meeting place for Kentucky, Lebanese, and Arab artists, bringing together filmmakers, musicians, writers, actors, designers, and performers. The aim is to establish connections across geography and artistic expertise while giving emerging storytellers the means to develop their work at home. "At the end of the day, we're all human, looking for many of the same things: community, connection, creativity, and a sense of belonging. And being able to do that in Louisville is such a blessing. We don’t have to go to L.A. Los Angeles because we have L.A. Louisville Area right here, and film is thriving."
Four existing films give us a taste of what more is to come for KULLI Atelier Films. "Hold Your Breath", made for the 2025 48 Hour Film Project, addresses climate change. "Stage 4", a black-and-white film inspired by Agnès Varda’s "Cléo from 5 to 7", follows a woman confronting a cancer diagnosis and finding support through art and community. "Becoming Noor" documents Elias’s first drag performance and the personal conversations that preceded it. His latest project, "Sillage", follows characters transported to the Victorian era by a mysterious perfume bottle.
Elias' dreams for the organization’s work also include education, with programs intended for young artists, emerging filmmakers, and audiences across generations, including older adults who may have limited access to larger events. Elias hopes that someone experiencing a film workshop or screening for the first time will recognize a place for themselves in the process.
His ambition is both modest and expansive: to help Louisville’s filmmakers find audiences, to bring Lebanese and Arab stories into wider circulation, and to create the conditions for artists to work together. Elias has had a particular dream since he was fifteen of becoming the first Lebanese actor or director to win an Academy Award. For now, KULLI Atelier Films begins with the people around him, their stories, and the films they can make together.
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