By Samar Marwan – Struggling to find the words to inspire the graduating class of 2016
at American University of Beirut, critically acclaimed Lebanese
filmmaker and actress Nadine Labaki. The 2015 Cannes Film Festival
judge told the story of how she found her happiness after graduation,
after losing her enthusiasm she found her happiness again when she
locked herself in a room and began writing what became her award winning
film “Caramel.”

Labaki told graduates that they need to listen to
their inner voice, and that the world would be a better place if
everyone did what truly made them happy. “Explore the infinite
possibilities of who you can be to make hard choices to achieve what you
want even if the combination is unusual. It’s usually these which bleed
into each other and strengthen each element.”

The director,
actress, mother-of-two, writer, wife, politician, judge, and overall
badass female has offered us some profound words of wisdom we can all
take to heart and use as inspiration to follow our hearts.