Emna Hillou
I’m a filmmaker, creative producer, and project leader based in Los Angeles. My work spans documentary, editorial, and post-production, with a particular interest in stories about culture, identity, place, and the people who connect them.
My path to filmmaking began in international development and project management. For more than a decade, I managed complex programs, multi-million-dollar contracts, and geographically dispersed teams across the U.S., Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. I learned how to take complicated ideas, build the structure around them, and move them from concept to completion.
Alongside that work, I built a career in storytelling. I’ve directed and produced documentary projects, edited television and branded content, and worked as a writer and photographer for editorial publications. My project-management background has become an important part of my creative practice: I’m as interested in how a story gets made as I am in the story itself.
The name Zelij comes from Arabic; it’s a traditional Moroccan art form made from individually shaped pieces assembled into intricate patterns. It reflects the way I approach storytelling: bringing distinct perspectives, people, and experiences together to create something larger than any one piece
Selected Experience
Film & Creative
Director · Producer · Editor · Writer · Photographer
Project & Program Management
PMP-certified · 10+ years of experience · International programs · Portfolio & project management · Data analytics & evaluation
Based in
Los Angeles, California