Lara was born in Jordan and studied film in the Czech Republic and Australia. After coming to the US, Lara made a name for herself in New York’s competitive film scene before discovering Atlanta’s richly diverse art community, where she currently resides with her husband and two cats. As a lesson stemming from her numerous travels, Lara makes imagery grounded in a sense of place and rooted in emotions that resonate universally. As an Arab American filmmaker, she uses her outsider perspective and experience to hone her skills as a photographic observer and filmmaker.

Lara’s work has been showcased around the world, taking top awards at Brooklyn, Lower East Side, Montreal World Film Festival and Madrid International Film Festival, and her branded work for Facebook (Black Makes a Way) won a Cannes Lion. Her work as a Director of Photography has earned her many accolades, including a winner of Best Cinematography at Las Cruces International Film Festival. Most recently, she shot the film Pozole which received Best Narrative Short at Cinequest. Lara’s diverse body of commercial work has represented networks and brands such as HBO, Comedy Central, Covergirl, Google, Ford, Facebook, JP Morgan Chase, and Teen Vogue.