Principal To Spend Summer On Location For New Movie

Summer is the season for Hollywood blockbusters, when we sit in theatres with popcorn and Junior Mints and let the movies transport us to faraway places and adventures.

But for Nina Cullen-Hamzeh, principal at the Marblehead Community Charter Public School,  a summer movie will literally take her to the other side of the world.

Cullen-Hamzeh will visit Syria and Tunisia with her movie director husband, Ziad. He runs Hamzeh Mystique Films, which produces action and romance movies and award-winning documentaries.

"The current film highlights the life of an Arabic singer during WWII. She had a Marilyn Monroe-like allure and was a double agent.  So music, sex, intrigue -- the stuff of a hit Hollywood film," Cullen-Hamzeh said.

"It's set to be filmed in several countries, especially Tunisia and Syria. My husband has colleagues in Tunisia and family in Syria. We'll likely stay in Tunis and Damascus."

It's not your typical summer Cape vacation, to say the least, but the couple did meet on Nantucket years ago, at a college drama workshop. They spent time in Los Angeles, and now live in Swampscott where they just bought a new home. Cullen-Hamzeh can't wait to start some new projects.

"The garden of my new home will likely monopolize a lot of my time as soon as the summer begins. Playing in the dirt is one of my favorite things to do. I just love planting seeds and helping them to grow."

Cullen-Hamzeh will probably appreciate a little down time.  In addition to leading MCCPS through a successful year (the state renewed the school's charter), she just received her master's degree in organizational management from Endicott College.

"I earned a superintendent's license as part of the process," she said.

She's gearing up for next year at MCCPS. The school will be extending its remedial and acceleration programs, which Cullen-Hamzeh said will benefit all students in the building.

"I expect that next fall will be very exciting. Our relationship with the town schools has been growing, and I look forward to working with them more frequently," she said.

When she's not working, globe-trotting or gardening this summer, Cullen-Hamzeh looks forward to a couple of good beach reads.

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is at the top of the list," she said.