OFFICIAL SELECTION
March 2024 Workroom

Malak Quota is a Saudi filmmaker and content director focusing on animation. Her films have been screened internationally and won many awards. She has a Bachelor's degree in Digital Media from Otis College of Art and Design and an MFA from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. She has worked in various industries and productions from gaming to digital agencies, and is currently an assistant professor at Zayed University in the UAE.

Project Title: Deeds from the Dead
Hayat, a middle-aged woman, lives a dull routine between her family and her job. The death of her mother thrusts her into a tough situation and an unimaginable journey. She takes on an unorthodox job, washing and preparing the dead for burial. Through her encounters with the dead, she begins to experience life in new ways. She gets the gratitude she’s been seeking all her life amongst the dead, forcing her to pick between her obligations in her everyday world and her duties to the dead. 

Sarah Drepaul is an Indo-Caribbean NYC native artist merging poetry and filmmaking to rethink how sexuality, spirituality, and memory reside in the body. Her work queers the notions behind archival as the truth, to understand film as a liberation practice.  Sarah’s projects have screened at the King Manor Museum (NYC), Queer Women of Color Film Festival (San Francisco), TwelveGates Art (Philadelphia) and more. Her work has received the support of the VelvetPark NYC Residency, PERIPLUS Writing Collective, BlackStar Film Fest, and others. A practicing intimacy coordinator and producer, she believes vulnerability is essential for our collective liberation.

Project Title: How We See Each Other/ Hard Ayz
A love letter to South Queens, HARD AYZ, is a brief meditation on being touch-starved in your home. A Guyanese mother and daughter experience the same stubborn loneliness but cannot bear to witness it together. An unlikely cultural tradition resurfaces as they both seek solace in place of one another.

Sofia Kunz is an Argentinian Filmmaker and Actor based in Los Angeles, CA. Her work dives into personal coming-of-age stories past the teenage years that touch on familial relationships, cultural backgrounds, taboo topics, and sexuality. Her short film “Undecided” premiered at the Ischia Film Festival in 2023. 

Annabella Fazio is an emerging actor and writer. As an avid traveler who has lived on multiple continents, Annabella is focused on elevating the modern experience of women and AFAB people around the world and dreams of starting a documentary production company. She has co-written and starred in “Kaleidoscope” premiering at Cannes Court Metrage 2021. Other films she’s worked on have premiered at Oscar Qualifying festivals such as Hollyshorts and Catalina Film Festival. Camino is her debut feature film. 

Project Title: Camino
An unexpected romance blossoms on a Spanish rewilding horse ranch between Ifa, a Brazilian cowboy, and Ellie, a mosaic artist and ranch worker. When leaving the confines of the ranch for a new frontier, their budding romance is challenged, questioning if the very quality that drew them together could ultimately tear them apart. 

Nada Bedair is a BAFTA scholar and an award-winning Egyptian filmmaker based in New York. She is completing her MFA in film at New York University - Tisch School of the Arts. Her work was featured in various film festivals including Palm Springs ShortFest, Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and New York International Children’s Film Festival. She is passionate about social justice, particularly gender and racial equality. She aspires to empower women of color by portraying strong female Muslim Egyptian characters in her work.

Project Title: Underneath the Fig Tree
While on a family road trip, 14-year-old Layla gets her period for the first time and struggles to deal with what is now expected of her as a "woman" in a conservative Muslim Egyptian community as she attempts to explore her sexuality. 

Emil Garuba is a multifaceted Nigerian creative, with a diverse repertoire in the areas of screenwriting, directing, and producing. With a notable track record, Emil has served as a script editor for nine award-winning short films under the Nigeria Integrity Film Awards platform (HOMEVIDA) and as a story consultant for the acclaimed television series “Sons of the Caliphate” on Netflix. His collaborative endeavors include co-writing the AMVCA-winning feature film “Road to Yesterday” (2016), the first Nigerian Netflix original “Lionheart” (2019), and the political thriller “4th Republic” (2019). Notably, Emil made his directorial debut with the highly praised short film “Last Tango in Abuja” (2020). Emil's talent has been honed through initiatives such as the 2015 UK-Nigeria Script Junction Workshop, the 2023 Realness Episodic Lab & Development Executive Trainee program, and the 2023 Durban Film Mart Institute Business Lab. As the Creative Director of Sutoritera Limited, Emil spearheads the company's endeavors in story development and media production, with an impressive upcoming feature film and series slate.

Project Title: APOLE
A retired Idoma couple journeys to the bustling capital city to reconnect with their scattered family. Amidst complex familial dynamics, they must navigate their adult children's challenges, including marital strife, nontraditional relationships, and uninspired career choices to unite and overcome adversity while adapting to a rapidly changing culture.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
January 2024 Workroom

Walta Gabriel Busulwa, born December 10, 1990, in Kampala, Uganda, is a distinguished Ugandan/Canadian filmmaker. Starting in 2011, Walta's early roles included acting, extras, and crew positions in Ugandan films. In 2013, he directed his debut, "Not Bride a Girl," entering Uganda Film Festival labs. Walta's versatility as a writer, producer, and director shone in "Akello" (2016), addressing teenage pregnancy. Global participation in initiatives like UNICEF-UNFPA and joining the African Film Consortium established Walta's international presence. Awards for "Bibi MTOTO" (2018) and ongoing education at Toronto Metropolitan University showcase his dedication. Producing a short and developing a 2024 feature, Walta's impact is defined by artistic vision and global collaboration.

Project title: Zona & Neda
In the mystical town of Ovido, a couple vanishes and awakens amidst voodoo whispers and curses. Guided by ancient customs and spirits, they navigate enigmatic trials to break a cycle of lost souls. As Ovido's transformative whispers echo, ZONA and NEDA return home, forever woven into the town's tapestry.

Olivia Khoshatefeh is an actor and writer based in NYC. She holds an MFA in acting from Brown University/Trinity Rep. She has written and developed several plays including her piece “These Walls” which premiered at the On the Verge festival in Santa Barbara, CA. As an actor she’s appeared in several recurring television roles most notably on New Amsterdam (NBC) for five seasons. Other TV credits include:  Inventing Anna (Netflix), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix), Dickinson (Apple TV), Mr. Robot (USA) and The Blindspot (NBC). Recent theatrical productions include: The Who and The What (Roundhouse Theater), Julius Caesar (Trinity Repertory) and The Commons (The Hearth/59E59). 

Project Title: what R U?
Roxanne, a hedonistic cocktail waitress/aspiring actor is searching for her big break. Everyone (including her) is shocked when she finally earns a starring role on TV…as a pious, controversial religious character. While her career progresses she must navigate her new normal: a world full of ignorant television executives, disapproving family members and intrusive fans. 

Tarek Al Ariss, the founder and head writer of his own production company, transitioned from a career as a medical doctor to pursue his passion for film. His journey from writing medical prescriptions for his patients to writing short scripts about his patients ignited his passion for everything film, slingshotting him out of his white coat and into the hands of a colorful creative life. With experience in various roles, including writer, director, producer, actor, and editor, Tarek has worked on a diverse range of feature films, short films, and commercials. He has built a collection of completed and ongoing writing projects, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to share his work with a wider audience.

Project title: And The Crowd Goes Wild
A young Lebanese boy dreams of conquering the football world in his war-torn and divided country where everyone else has given up

Sousana Maragkou, a Greek living in New York, is an alumna of Iceland’s 2023 RIFF Talent Lab and an active member of New York Women in Film and Television. She kicked off her filmmaking journey at the Stavrakos Film School in Athens for a year, then took screenwriting courses at the New School and NYU in New York City. Besides film, she also explored theatre studies in Athens and London. In 2023, her first short film, "Crying Applause," was nominated with a Best Short Film- Golden Egg nomination at the Reykjavik International Film Festival.

Ridah Farooqui (co-writer) is a UK-born, LA / NYC based producer, writer, and film historian. With over a decade in production, she has closely supported award-winning directors, producers, screenwriters, stylists, and set designers. After starting out as a script reader, Ridah went on to assist the filmmaker and street artist, JR. She then became theater manager at Metrograph following her time at Anthology Film Archives. She previously worked as a gallery assistant at the Met and Whitney Museums. Ridah was on the Digital Shorts team at NBC’s Saturday Night Live while simultaneously producing commercials for brands like Spotify, Meta, and Nike. The first feature Ridah produced, The Book of Harth, won Best Documentary Feature at Kevin Smith's Film Festival in 2022. In 2023 she established Halcyon Films as a creative incubator to support filmmakers.

Project Title: The Law of Series
This is a story of not coming of age through an unorthodox love affair that remains open. I want to talk about obsession, love, rejection and how vulnerable we are during the teenage years. I also want the audience to contemplate on the fixation with stars and celebrities and the abuse of power they can exert.

Cansu Obiz is an entertainment and IP lawyer for over ten years now, and graduated from University of Southern California, in Master of Laws. She has been writing short, and feature films; and a miniserie for digital she wrote placed one of the tops in a screenwriting competition in Turkey. She attended Zeynep Atakan's (former producer of Nuri Bilge Ceylan, the director) courses, within the body of Yapimlab, for producing, and pitching. She has also applied for the School of Cinematic Arts Summer Program for 2024 of University of Southern California, and has been waiting for the acceptance decision to enroll.

Project title: Room No:347
Aspiring young writers question why they write, and whether or not they need to write for existential purposes, while the limits of creativity try to make ground for itself, even bloody.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
September 2023 Workroom

Estephan Khattar is a Lebanese film and TV director and screenwriter. He holds a Master’s degree in Film Directing from the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Fine Arts II. He wrote and directed several short films, including the two award-winning shorts “Feno” (2016) and “A Photo, a Hotel, and Her” (2019). He created and co-wrote his first pan-Arab TV series in 2022. In 2023, he was selected as a Film independent and Global Media Makers Fellow to participate in the LA Residency with his debut feature film “Summer 58”.

Selected Project Title: Summer 58 
Amid Lebanon's crisis, an aspiring actor seeks to embody masculinity for a role. Driven by his passion for drama, he forms an unlikely bond with a battle-hardened militia fighter. Together, they embark on a transformative journey, exploring masculinity and the power of drama against a backdrop of scorching summer heat.

Abdallah Jamal Alkhatib is a film director, writer, and human rights defender. He was born in Damascus in 1989 and is of Palestinian-Syrian descent. He studied Sociology at the University of Damascus and is currently completing his studies in Germany. Before the revolution in Syria in 2011, he worked at the UNRWA as a coordinator for a youth support center in Yarmouk Camp. He was selected by the German Greenpeace magazine as the Peacemaker of the Year 2014, and in 2016, he was awarded the Swedish Per Anger Prize for Human Rights. Since 2019, he has been residing in Germany and working in the field of writing social studies, political articles, and producing documentaries. In 2021, he released his award-winning first feature documentary, "Little Palestine - Diary of a Siege," which has been screened in over 50 countries. Currently, he is working on his second feature film.

Selected Project Title: Heim
When a court's rejection of her asylum application and impending deportation orders shatter 25-year-old Nour's dreams of a future in Germany, she and a group of women in a private refugee residence together fight a multi-faceted battle to break their deportation orders and remain in Germany, in search of a less oppressive future for themselves and their children.

Zaid BaQaeen is a screenwriter, director, and creative producer working in Film, TV and the media industry for over a decade. His work includes a Palme D’Or nominated short film, an International Emmy Kids Awards nominated TV show, and an MBC award winning documentary. BaQaeen is the Head Writer & Creative producer for the Sesame Workshop TV show currently on MBC. Additionally, Zaid is the communications consultant at WarChild Holland, and Film lecturer at SAE Institute -Amman. Zaid earned degrees in Film, Design & communication, with an MFA in Cinematic Arts from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts / USC Cinema Program.

Selected Project Title: Aisha
A heated court case draws nation-wide public attention when a lawyer unwillingly finds herself defending a Muslim spiritual healer against a medical doctor, both prosecuted for the wrongful death of a young woman, only to find out that there is much more to the case than meets the eye. 

Gülce Öksüz, born on June 19, 1991, in Izmir, Turkey, is a prominent figure in the Turkish television and film industry, known for her innovative storytelling and keen directorial eye. Her passion for storytelling emerged very early.. She stepped into the world of TV production in 2009 as assistant director,then she became director. Adding another feather to her cap, Gülce’s career trajectory took another exciting turn when she assumed the role of a producer in commercials and films. Gülce is working on her biggest project yet,directing her own film. with her diverse experience in the industry and passion for storytelling.

Selected Project Title: PATHWAY
PATHWAY explores the intricate mind of Arda, a man with multiple identities, whose life is unraveled by his lover, Begüm, a therapist. As love, deception, and murder entangle, Arda navigates through the labyrinth of his own psyche.

Dina Amin is a Palestinian filmmaker and vocalist born in Jerusalem, Palestine. Graduated from Kingston University, London with a BA in Filmmaking. She is the co-founder and managing creative director of Space Collective. Dina has co-directed and co-produced one of her documentary short films that have been screened and nominated in various international short film festivals, ‘Rise Up’. Her most recent short  documentary film she directed, ‘Om Suliman’ won an award at the COPEAM-ASBU Prize for the best documentary of Inter-Rives 8 “SustainAbility: stories of changemakers. She freelanced in the directing department on many Palestinian feature films as well as short films with Palestinian film directors such as Anne-marie Jacer, Muayad Elyan, and Reem Jubran.

Selected Project Title: Yoga
Sama Yousef, a young woman, informs her grandmother about her plans after yoga. Mishaps unfold—coffee spills, keys drop, and a stuck door. Determined, she heads to work but encounters a deserted Ramallah. At school, a hidden assault leaves her scarred. Sama confides in a friend and returns home to find strangers in her apartment. The twist reveals an experiment erasing Nakba trauma but not memories, linking Sama's life to her grandmother's past. The experiment fails, bringing painful recollections. Guards escort them out, unveiling a sinister operation suppressing Nakba stories.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
June 2023 Session

Dhruv Solanki Writer/director based in Vadodara. IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD, is his debut feature as a writer/director, which just finished post production. He has co-written and directed ‘BLAH BLAH BLAH’, an independent comedy/road trip miniseries which is currently in production. He has written & directed five short films, which have played in several film festivals (Alpavirama Youth International Film Festival, South Asian Film Festival of Australia, etc). He was one of the finalists (Top 20) of TAKE TEN. He developed, THE REBELS OF SHAKAMBHARI, a period action feature drama, as a fellow of Writers Ink Screenwriting Lab. 

Selected Project Title: The Rebels of Shakambhari (feature)
In medieval India, a 'Kinnara' (transgender) duo is looking to lay low after a violent altercation with soldiers. All their plans of staying out of trouble go awry when they find themselves embroiled in the plot of a coup led by a young princess in exile.

Nour Khalil (she/her) is an aspiring filmmaker with an unapologetic passion for feminism and social justice. Born and raised in Cairo, Nour's life took a turn when she participated in the 2011 Egyptian uprising, sparking a lifelong commitment to fighting for marginalized communities. As a world traveler, cat lover, and music enthusiast, Nour draws inspiration from her diverse interests, including poetry, nature, psychology, and spirituality. 

Selected Project Title: Tortuguita (feature)
"Tortuguita" honors Manuel Estaban Paez, a Venezuelan climate activist. It explores Manny's life and tragic death while protesting against a destructive police training facility in Atlanta. The film highlights Manny's global journey, their passion for humanity and the environment, and serves as both a tribute to their activism and an inspiration for others to carry on their important work.

Pranoy Dutta is an Indian copywriter turned Creative Director. In the past decade, Pranoy has created a bouquet of award-winning work in advertising. He has penned over 100 video scripts that have won numerous accolades. Pranoy is also the co-writer of short film 'Newly Screwed', which won at IFFI Goa Anti-Tobacco Film Festival 2018. 'Stand With Pride', his LGBTQIA+ anthem film got awarded at the D&AD Abby Awards 2022. In his free time, Pranoy loves reading and writing entertaining stories that leave a lasting impression.

Selected Project Title: Horror Shots (Series)
An anthology series of bite-sized horror stories where each story delves into a different sub-genre of horror. A complete fest of fear. The stories cover psychological traps, paranormal presence, spirits, and shocking urban legends that lure the audience into the familiar before giving them a quick dose of horror.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
April 2023 Session

Mohamed Soliman is an Egyptian writer, comedian, and aspiring filmmaker. Currently based in Cairo, Moe has lived in 5 different Middle Eastern countries and is thus well versed in conflict and self-deprecating humor born out of it. With an LLM in international law and working in research, conflict resolution and opening a bar in Beirut in 2018. He’s no stranger to career shifts or bad timing. Performing standup for nearly half his life, Moe’s comedy explores trauma, politics, and life in the Middle East with both a sense of irony and existentialism. 

Selected Project Title: Relief Effort
Following a major disaster that destroys his apartment and half the neighborhood, a down-on-his-luck comedian joins other comics in a plan to save their now-destroyed bar by putting on a show.

Sondos Shabayek is an Egyptian filmmaker, acting coach, and intimacy coordinator. She has over 12 years of experience working with actors and non-actors, facilitating storytelling workshops, documenting personal narratives, and directing theatre performances of women and gender-based stories. Sondos's work is dedicated to exploring authentically telling stories of herself and other women and being part of a truthful and honest representation of the lives of women on screen.

Selected Project Title: And me too
Sara, a liberal Cairene is locked in a room with her cleaner, conservative cousin and secret boyfriend. She has to confront him about last night but to do so she has to reveal that she has sex out of wedlock and that Omar is in fact her boyfriend he had raped her last night.

Sheifunmi Yusuf is a writer, director, filmmaker and media personality of Nigerian heritage. He is known for wearing several hats in the creative space in front of the cameras and behind them. Sheifunmi is the writer of the award-winning mental health anthology 'I AM SOMEBODY,' a short film directed by Tyna Ezenma and starring Nigerian actors Asa'ah Samuel, Uti Nwachukwu, and Chris Okagbue. The film went on to win accolades at the Cannes World Film Festival, Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, Los Angeles International Film Festival, and Calgary Independent Film Festival, among others. In 'PINK LOUNGE' and 'BAILEY IS BURNING - an experimental fashion film for the luxury artisanal brand ‘Maxivive’ the versatile creative has pushed the bounds of storytelling in Nigeria by being inclusive of varied lived experiences, culture, and orientation.

Selected Project Title: IFELANI
Set in Nigeria during the era of Hi5 and MySpace, two teenagers fall in love over the Internet but struggle to keep their connection as they grow older. What happens over a decade later turns out to be the most forbidden and tempestuous love affair imaginable. Drama, upheaval, and life-threatening events emerge.

Youssef Abubakr is an Egyptian writer, producer, and editor based in LA. He started his film career in post-production, working for legendary writer/director Larry Charles on his self-titled docuseries (Larry Charles’ Dangerous World Of Comedy). Since 2018, Youssef has expanded into editing, producing, and writing on several tv shows and short films. He is currently developing the screenplay for his debut feature film.

Selected Project Title: “Linen Told Me” 
A satirical drama about Nadeem, a journalist who falls into a midlife crisis after accidentally discovering a dark secret about his family’s history. 

OFFICIAL SELECTION
January 2023 Session

Maggie Kamal is an Egyptian American writer, director and producer based in NYC. She was awarded the Ostrovsky Family Fund grant for her thesis screenplay Microbus which later won the special judges award at City Visions, the annual international showcase of new thesis films from the City College of New York MFA Program in Film. Microbus had its European Premiere at Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival and won best short film award at Festival De Cine Africano. The film was in competition at Carthage Film Festival 2022 and had its US premiere at the Academy Award qualifying Cinequest Film Festival. The film was officially selected by Badalona Filmets Film Festival and continues to tour the global festivals circuit. Maggie was also one of the producers of the short film Last Summer on Bainbridge Street by Jessica Moore, the winner of the 2020 NBR Student Grant.

Selected Project Title: Um Farah (feature)
Nour is 15 years old, Ahmed is 20. Not out of the ordinary, their parents marry them off in a religious ceremony. They must wait until Nour turns 18, the legal age to officiate the marriage. Nour soon becomes pregnant. In the meantime, a government bill is enacted in efforts to add more restrictions on underage marriages and put a stop to the later authentication on the said marriages. While Nour goes through a turmoil, and Ahmed’s love for her nears an obsession, the world around them seems to crumble.

Amal Seela is an entrepreneur turned storyteller. She wears many hats as a Film producer, writer, and actress. Her journey started when she founded Lights, Camera, Learn! A non-profit organization aimed at empowering and educating youth through the art of filmmaking. Her local and loyal clients have commissioned her to write short commercial films every year. She has worked with over 700 unserved kids in 9 countries to produce over 140 short edutainment films by kids, for kids. Lastly, Amal has been working on two film treatments, outlines, and storyboards. Amal is also the first to create a satire documentary about the 7 day wedding traditions in Sfax, Tunisia.

Selected Project Title: Cars, Love, and Karak (feature) 
In a futuristic Dubai, where car tech allows drivers to socialize, a traditional Emirati woman falls in love with a stranger who seems to be her dream man until he abruptly ghosts her.

Omar Rammal is a Palestinian Director and Cinematographer whose international background is strongly evident in his distinct visual style. Studied filmmaking at SAE - Amman His work always finds new ways to explore visual storytelling, always with a human story at its core. His portfolio of works includes short films such as Fatimah, Hajez, The Place and Home Sweet Home. With films that are lead by feelings and determination in his stories, as well as commercials for several companies, institutions and more than 20 music videos by several artists

Selected Project Title: GAZA KFC (short)
Anwar gets fired by his father from the family fast food/ fried chicken restaurant , with his friends he started to smuggle the world famous KFC to the besieged people of Gaza,  and his life changes till he realizes the threat of his success is not the  Israeli bombing of the tunnels, but shutting down his  father’s business.

Chioma Paul-Dike has worked in the film industry since 2015. Starting as an assistant and working her way up, she’s worked on several films like Idahosa trails, Kasala, Otiti, and Once upon a life, as an Assistant Director. She’s co-started a production company invested in telling authentic African stories. She co-produced and directed Until 23, a short film that is presently making its festival runs. Chioma has a degree in Communications from Babcock University, and has further studied filmmaking at Multichoice Talent Factory. Chioma looks forward to sharing Africans and their culture through films.

Selected Project title: AT 23 (feature)
Adesewa, a 22-year-old African designer, is haunted by memories and appearances of an acquaintance’s ghost, whom she had failed to return home alive. On her 23rd birthday, Adesewa passes out strangely, only to meet her acquaintance in the in-between, who insists she must make a pact to live his dreams.

In 2016, Mark Hanna left his Engineering world behind and made the cross-continental move from Toronto to Cairo to pursue a directing career. In the years since, he's worked with high-profile clients like Red Bull, Netflix, Pepsi and UN Women, crafting creative and culturally resonant digital content, ads and documentaries. Hanna's passion for storytelling is evident in his work, which has succeeded in consistently garnering millions of views across countless media campaigns. In an industry where moving images can be ephemeral, Hanna always seeks to create pieces that will stand the test of time.

Selected Project Title: No Pepper (short)
Set in a pre-social media time, an old rich man is nervous about reconnecting with his estranged daughter after 20 years. Over the course of a meal together, he begins to find forgiveness in her eyes, but something feels too good to be true.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
November 2022 Session

Shaden Safieddine Tazi is a Lebanese-Moroccan writer-director and model based in New York City. After graduating in Film and Media Studies from Columbia University, Shaden founded The Soho Film Club and joined the Cinema Magazine “A Rabbit’s Foot” as a contributing writer.  She’s also a Film Teacher Assistant at Columbia University. 

Selected Project Title: Sophia Casablanca (Short)
When Ambre, a witty 20 years-old, comes back home for Eid, she realizes that her loving grandfather has Alzheimer's and doesn’t recognize her. The only person he recalls? Sophia, a mysterious past-lover no one has ever heard of. In a desperate attempt to reconnect with her grandfather, Ambre gets a grip on Sophia’s picture and becomes her just for one night. 

Jonathan D'Rozario is an actor, writer, and director based in New York City. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Neuroscience, Economics, and Theatre, he moved to New York to pursue acting professionally. Some of the projects he's acted in have been selected for The Gotham Week Project Market, NoBudge, The Telly Awards, and dozens of film festivals. He recently wrote, directed, produced, edited, and acted in his first short film, Clover (2021), which has screened at prominent LGBTQ+ film festivals around the country.

Selected Project Title: Sides (Short)
When two narcissistic actors in a long term relationship attempt to film a self tape about a couple breaking up over infidelity, they find themselves rapidly re-evaluating their own relationship, with explosive results.

Saleh Saadi is a Palestinian writer-director from Basmat Tab'un, Palestine. born on July 6th, 1998. Saadi’s first short fiction film Borekas was part of the Official Selection of the Palm Springs International ShortFest (2021), his second short film A'lam, which he wrote, directed and acted in premiered in the Hollyshorts Film Festival (2022).

Selected Project Title: Dyouf (episodic)
A family of five runs a guesthouse in their Bedouin village in Occupied Palestine, while living in a turmoil of relations, identity, and career.

Mashal Kawasmi landed his first crew gig on the hit Palestinian documentary, Speed Sisters when he was just 16 years old. The now 28-year-old Palestinian filmmaker has been on many sets in different roles; from second assistant camera to DOP. He has also co-produced short films like Palestine 87, for award winning Palestinian director Bilal Al-Khatib and "Inn Ann" single video clip; along with independent record label ‘BLTNM.’ His film short screenplay, The Flag, secured top place at the Palestine Sunbird Festival and is currently in development with a release date scheduled for November 2023.

Abdullah H. Erakat is a Palestinian-American screenwriter whose work often deal with issues of identity, diversity, and family. “Abdullah Smith” is a semi-biographical screenplay about growing up in Vermont & New Jersey. “Searching for Sidewalks” is a novella about the struggles of being a Palestinian-American writer, husband, and father in Palestine. His comedic play “But It's a Dry Heat” is about a Muslim family owning a liquor store in Arizona. Docu-drama “Birth of Words”, which he co-wrote, is about Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. Erakat lives in Abu Dis with his wife and four daughters; the eldest of which studies at NYU.

Selected Project Title: The Flag (Short)
Palestine, December 1987: HAJJ SALAH, 70’s, is visited by the Israeli army; ordering him to take down a Palestinian flag atop his roof. Hajj Salah questions his own sanity but removes the flag. The next day, another flag mysteriously appears. The clock ticks for the widower to prove his innocence.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
October 2022 Session

Kawthar Younis is a filmmaker based in Cairo, Egypt. Known for her film “A Present from the Past’’, which was the first of its kind to set a record for audience demand in the Egyptian documentary market. She works as a producer for films, mini series and TV commercials. Her latest short film "Sahbety / My Girl Friend" is the first Egyptian film to officially participate in the short film competition at Venice International Film Festival. Kawthar is also co-founder of the inaugural Rawiyat-Sisters in Film.

Selected Project Title : My Husband’s Wife (Feature)
A codependent woman is trying to please her husband through  encouraging him to get a second wife. 

Sonia Mackwani is an Indian Author and Filmmaker. She founded a non-profit organization ‘Touching Lives’ (2003) that works on education and mental health of children in India. She is a Clinical Psychologist and Hypnotherapist. Her award-winning short film SPACE was screened at Academy award-winner Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival. Her work includes Assistant Director – CHILD OF NATURE (Documentary), Writer/Director – COLLAGE (Short) shortlisted in Drishyam Shortfilm contest, Writer – CITY OF GAMES (Feature), Co-writer/Assistant Director – PRIMA (Short). Sonia received #100 Women Achiever of India by the President of India, Mercedes A-Class Achievers, CNBC YoungTurks Transformer. Currently, she lives between India and Switzerland.

Selected Project Title: Telescope (Feature)
A young aspiring Space Archeologist volunteers in a remote school in east India. Excited, she takes her Telescope to inspire children. However, the challenges of a drought-stricken village make her question the need to look at the stars, making her telescope redundant against the harsh realities of life on earth.

Richa Rudola is a statistician-turned-filmmaker. Her films have screened at 45+ festivals around the world and won 10+ awards. Her work has been supported by The Future Of Film Is Female, Tasveer, Stowe Narrative Lab, and Diverse Intelligence Summer Institute. She is a 2022 New York Stage & Film Fellow. A proponent for amplifying perspectives, Richa serves as Advisor to Pano, a non-profit organization supporting women in film. She is drawn to stories of courage, even more as a new mother. She grew up in India and currently resides in NYC with her husband, baby boy, and a crazy puppy.

Selected Project Title: Cow Heavy and Floral (Short)
A metacognitive piece about a postpartum writer struggling to meet a deadline as she co-inhabits a small house with various parts of her identity, and her family.

Heliya Alam (She/her) is a Persian female filmmaker who strives to tell character driven stories that evoke emotion in her audience. After immigrating to the states at age 12 with her family, she did not let the English language barrier come between her goals and dreams to tell stories. She received her film and TV studies degree from USC School of Cinematic Arts where she mastered multiple crafts such as producing, writing, editing, and directing throughout her career. She has worked closely with companies such as Diablo Entertainment, Route One Entertainment, as well as big studios such as Fox Broadcasting Company, Warner Bros., and Disney. To this day, Heliya has produced over a dozen of short films and five feature films in the capacity of Executive producer, Line Producer, Co producer and lead producer including but not limited to: “The Birthday Cake”, “On Our Way”, and “A Place In The Field.” Now focused on directing, she directed her first narrative music video, Promise Me in 2018 which premiered at Dance With Films and wrote, and directed her first narrative short film The List, in 2021 which has been accepted and awarded in numerous film festivals across the world. 

Selected Project Title: IDA (Episodic Series)
A soft woman in front of the camera, soon discovers she prefers being the tiger behind the camera in a man’s world. This is a mini series, based on a true story - kind of. We follow our main character as she grows to be a known actress due to being born in a theater family. It’s after she has a huge deal with one of the largest entertainment companies, when she realizes she really belongs behind the camera and we watch her fight for her dream and break rules to get there. 

Anna May Samson is an award winning actor and writer. After graduating drama school in Australia, Anna has gone on to perform extensively in theatre, film and television. She received the John Tallis Award for Excellence during her studies and has received Helpmann, Greenroom, Broadway World and Glug awards nominations, for her work in theatre and an Oz Flick Independent Film Award, for her work in film. Anna was previously an Australian Council for the Arts grant recipient that saw her further her studies in the UK. Anna has most recently been accepted into her Master’s of Writing at Sydney University. She completed principal photography of her first short film earlier this year, which she wrote and directed, before traveling to West Africa and the UK to work on upcoming projects.As well as writing scripts for stage and screen Anna has published various pieces of creative non-fiction.

Selected Project Title: Fruitcake (Short)
Set in the Australian summer of 1964—a teenage boy tastes a slightly different slice of life, in this bittersweet coming of age short. Luke is 14 and his faith doesn’t permit him to celebrate Christmas. On the walk to school he meets Holly, a girl from the year above. She invites Luke into her family home for Christmas dinner.

Rimah Jabr is a theatre director, playwright, screenwriter, and Ph.D. student at Theatre and Performance Studies at York University. She received her MA as a theatre maker from the Erasmus Hogeschool in Brussels (RITCS) in 2014. She wrote and directed several plays, all produced in Belgium, Canada and Palestine. During the pandemic, Rimah started self-educating filmmaking.

Selected project title: A Gazelle Evades an Ambush (Short)
A young woman locks herself in the bedroom to avoid her mother's conversations, but the mother's loneliness weakens the daughter, who does not maintain this strategy.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
August 2022 Session

Afraah Farhana is a filmmaker, screenwriter and production coordinator based in the United Arab Emirates. Shortly after graduating with first class honors in International Business Management from Heriot Watt University, she had decided to pursue her passion for filmmaking. She has gone on to direct, write and produce 5-6 short films as well as multiple corporate projects. She had recently written and directed Ayah, a meta-spiritual short film in association with Firdaus Studio by A.R. Rahman. In efforts to expand her creative horizons and hone her individual style, she is now working on her indie shorts, The Exchange and Bleed. Afraah also reviews and analyses films for local platforms on a regular basis.

Selected Project Title: The Exchange (short film)
A mediocre university student crippled by self-doubt enlists the help of her academic mentor in hopes of being accepted into a competitive exchange program. What ensues is a classic case of “be careful what you wish for, lest it come true”.

Haider Husseini is a Video Journalist and filmmaker based in Iraq. He has been covering Iraqi social and political stories since 2014, including ISIS liberation battles and the popular uprising in 2019. Previously, Haider worked with the AFP's Baghdad Bureau and The National News newspaper producing award-winning video reports. His work has been featured on National Geographic, LA Times, VICE, France 5, and VOX, among others. He also worked as a Cinematographer and a Director of Photography on many films and TVC.

Selected Project Title: A Real Ghost Story (short film)
A desperate woman searches for her son amongst the bodies piled up in the hospital after a massacre. She finds a man still alive amongst the dead and helps him escape despite the watchful eye of Saddam's merciless guards.

Lada Egorova is a Russian-French screenwriter and director. She studied filmmaking in Paris and Los Angeles. After interning at various production companies in France and the US, she wrote and directed eight short fiction films and three short documentaries, some went to winning prizes at film festivals. In 2022, she co-created the film company Wild Kids Production centered around producing films from young filmmakers coming from diverse backgrounds. 

Selected Project title: Remnant (feature film)
After the disappearance of the entire world population, an L.A musician receives a phone call from her old best friend from Italy. The woman sets on a journey to Washington hoping to find there other survivors that could help her find a way to reunite with her Italian friend.

Samah Fadil is an Afro-Palestinian writer, editor and translator based in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. Her work focuses on themes of identity and displacement, and her expressions are shared through storytelling, poetry and visual art. Her words can be read or are forthcoming in FIYAH, Skin Deep, the Institute for Palestine studies, and more. She is currently the copy editor for the Black SWANA takeover issue of Mizna. 

Selected Project Title: Wander (limited series)
In this coming-of-age family drama set in 1990, the dysfunctional yet loving Afro-Palestinian Kareem family must navigate the ups and downs of life in a quickly industrializing city in the Gulf. When Iraqi president Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait, the fallout alters the course of their lives forever.

Prachi Tamta works in the foothills of Himalaya as a bachelor of surgery and medicine. She has lived and worked in two metropolitan cities like New Delhi and Mumbai. She studied film directing at the Film and Television institute of India. Her first short film is now starting its festival run.

Selected Project Title: Not Today (short film)
This is the day in the life of a doctor struggling with anxiety and depression.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
May 2022 Session

Laura Boushnak is a Palestinian documentary photographer based in Amman, Jordan. Her work focuses mainly on the Arab world, looking at issues that stem from her personal experience related to gender, education, and the impact of conflict on society. In addition to her work for the New York Times and other publications, Laura has remained committed to her ongoing projects, “I Read I Write” and “Survivor.” The former revolves around Arab women’s education, while the latter highlights the aftermath of war and its impact on individuals long after the war has ended.

Selected project: El Jar/The Neighbor (short film)
A young journalist moves to a European city. On her first night in her flat, the neighbor below calls the police. From this day on she finds herself dragged into the neighbor’s troubled past, having to deal with his unsettling mode of communication.

Ezinne Akam is a Nigerian filmmaker. She started her career as a screenwriter in 2018 writing shorts, features and TV episodes. She attended filmmaking workshops and post-production masterclass organized by Film Independent, US-Consulate and AFRIFF. She was staffed as Associate Producer/Production Coordinator on projects for Netflix, Prime, and adverts for beverages and banks. She made short films that screened in festivals in Nigeria, Ghana, India, and London. In 2021, her third produced short film “Blind Date” was awarded “Best International Short Film” and “Best Women’s Film” at three International festivals. Her stories highlight women’s struggles coming of age in Nigeria.

Selected Project: Maniac (Feature film)
In this coming of age drama, a barren couple on the brink of divorce steal the toddler of a mentally disturbed woman addicted to heroin. Years later after raising the child as their own daughter, her real mother returns in disguise to take back her abducted child.

Mkaiwawi (Mkay) Mwakaba is a seasoned film and communications professional with over 15 years of experience. In her role as editor/director/writer over the years, Mkay has gathered experience on different story formats and genres, and consequently has a good grasp on storytelling and understanding audiences. Mkay holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with a focus on Film & TV, with a Minor in Psychology. She is also an alumnus of the Berlinale Talent Campus and Durban Talent Campus. Away from work, she enjoys the arts and travel and mentoring young filmmakers.

Selected Project: In Another Life (Episodic Series)
A frustrated middle-aged woman accidentally finds herself in several different alternate realities in which she and her partner have switched roles and gender, resulting in tumultuous and often hilarious scenarios. She regrettably realizes that once pulled into one reality, she cannot go back to the previous one.

Herbert O. Osagiator is an award-winning Nigerian serial entrepreneur who founded Nigeria's First Textile Recycling Company (LastPrice.ng). Herbert has received several professional and business awards, including a National recognition from the Office of the President and the National Information Technology and Digital Agency Frist in academics, achievements, business, and recreation. TEF, OCN, PMP & International Leadership, MultiChoice awards, to name a few, a filmmaker who is genuinely enthusiastic about storytelling and aims to bring it to life beginning with his current feature film project.

Selected Project: The King and I (feature film)
Crown prince Osifo will not hide his hate for Osapkarhara, simply for his guts, pretension and flamboyance. Osaparkahara, envious of the prince, takes that which the king desires and more. The rivalry between both men throws the people of Ubinu into a state of commotion, beginning the bloody ear of “OKPUGHE”.

Canaan Sandro
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the American University in Cairo and joining a summer workshop at UCLA film school, Sandro moved to Paris to complete his Masters of Fine Arts in Directing Film at EICAR film school. Since returning to Egypt, he has worked as an Assistant Director for six years on local and international films, series and commercials. His film debut “The Other Cheek” won “Best Film” at Amman International Film Festival. He was also editor for “About Separation” directed by Kawhar Younis which won best editing at Visions Film Festival.

Selected Project: Twins (Short film)
Mariam and Mahmoud have led a quiet life since the start of their pregnancy six months ago. They wake up one day to find Mariam’s stomach flat with no trace of a pregnancy. Troubles arise as they seek an explanation to what happened while Mariam’s condition as a mute widens their miscommunication.

Adonis Sergiou is a filmmaker currently based in Cyprus. He has created over 50 solo and collaborative projects, consisting of writing, directing, producing and/or editing films, photography, music, poetry and creative writing. Each and every project was approached with diverse and contrasting concepts, mostly all aimed as attempts to reach new ground within the process of creating. 

Selected project: Cinema Presents, Life (Short film)
After a local film exhibition closes early on its last day, Pablo Honey, an eccentric cinema lover, meets Demi Vallery, a woman whose knowledge of films is close to nothing. Pretending to be the curator of the exhibition, Pablo finds a way in and exhibits her through the different rooms, essentially deconstructing cinema. 

OFFICIAL SELECTION
April 2022 Session

Abisola Aboaba is a designer and filmmaker interested in transformative and inspiring African stories. He is a 2021 recipient of the New York Film Academy scholarship award and the best graduating and top-performing student of the Multichoice Talent Factory West Africa Academy Class of 2020. Also a producer of the multiple award-winning short film project titled “Bride Untangled,” which won the best student short film at the 2021 Africa International Film Festival and Inside Nollywood International Film festival, showing now on Showmax. He has successfully produced films for companies like Multichoice group, New York Film Academy, and the United Nations.
Selected Project: La Belle Afrique (Narrative Feature Film)

Lily Lyor Askenazi is a screenwriter, script editor, and translator based in Paris. Her work focuses on coming-of-age stories, seeking to explore states and spaces connected to mental health journeys. In 2021, a short she co-wrote premiered at both Tribeca and Raindance film festivals after winning the best short screenplay for Shore Scripts 2018 and the Atlanta Film Fest Screenplay competition in 2019. She holds an MA in screenwriting from the London Film School and a BA in English Literature from King’s College London. 
Selected Project: Glory (Narrative Short Film)

Garima Soni born and raised in India, moved to New York City when she was 21 to study Computer Science. She worked as a software developer for 6 years and quit her job in 2020 to pursue her passion for film and music. She moved to Vancouver in 2020 and studied film production at Infocus film school and graduated in Oct'2021 and has been working as a freelance photographer/cinematographer in Vancouver. She loves to write and sing songs. She is currently working on the short documentary web series “Heal Through Poetry” and writing a short dramedy TV Show “Third Roommate”. 
Selected Project: Third Roommate (Episodic Series)

Mohamed Hamad is an Egyptian copywriter and aspiring screenwriter with a background in marketing communications. Along with writing and producing a number of short films, he has pitched at Gouna Film Festival (2018) and the Financing Forum for Kid’s Content in Malmo, placed in international screenwriting competitions, and served on the judging panel of Oneota Film Festival (2021). As an Arab Muslim and diabetic, Mohamed strives to create better representation through the power of storytelling. He is looking forward to developing his project, “Juvenile”, which has been a work in progress for years.
Selected Project: Juvenile (Episodic Series)

Olivia Lifungula is a Congo-born, Belgium-raised photographer and filmmaker now living in London. Her work explores the themes of intimacy, beauty, and the construction of black femininity in the arts and media. Olivia has most recently been included in this year’s British Fashion Council’s New Wave: Creatives List. She has previously been featured in Vogue Italia's list of 20 female photographers to watch as well as the new Black Vanguard: photography between art and fashion current exhibition.
Selected Project: Glory (Narrative Short Film)

Josh Seven is an award-winning independent filmmaker from Mumbai, India. Starting in post-production, he transitioned into film producing, most recently working on features. He has written, directed, produced, and edited his own projects. These include “It’s Not A Game”, shot in Los Angeles, and, “Blindspot”, shot in Mumbai and won Best Screenplay at AAB International Film Festival and Pink City International Film Festival in 2017 amongst others. He is currently working on various projects, including commercials, music videos, and, features.
Selected Project: Algorithm (Narrative Feature Film)

Monique Maria Schmidt graduated valedictorian of her high school class, received a scholarship to study in Japan, and went on to study abroad in Grenoble, France, graduating back in the States magna cum laude with a double major in Communications and French. After college, she taught for two years in West Africa in a village in Benin. Next, she completed her MFA in Creative Writing at Syracuse University and went on to receive a Fulbright to teach at the University of Lome in Togo. Her next global stop was starting a small community college for genocide orphans in Rwanda, followed by creating leadership and mentoring program centered around hip hop for teen girls in Washington, DC. Her alma mater gave her the distinction of “Thought Leader.”
Selected Project: Milk into Butter (Narrative Feature Film)

OFFICIAL SELECTION
March 2022 Session

Dwan Kaoukji is a media researcher and independent filmmaker interested in human stories from the Middle East. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Policy from the London School of Economics and has worked for media organizations such as the BBC and Girl Effect. She is an aspiring filmmaker and recently wrote and directed her first documentary on the ancient method of perfume-making in India. The documentary was featured on the BBC World Service, and on the BBC website in 2018. She is currently working on her first fictional short called “The Break In”.

Olatomi Falore is a practicing Nigerian entertainment lawyer and trained screenwriter who believes in the transformative power of creative storytelling, representation, and culture. She is strongly committed to telling varied socially conscious and culturally relevant stories to increase representation across many media platforms while exploring the depth of human complexities within our interconnected global society. She draws her inspiration from her years of experience in the courtroom as a litigation lawyer and hopes to bring to life untold Nigerian stories with an emotional depth that would educate, entertain, and develop narratives to challenge society’s expectations.

Mira Nimri joined the Royal Film Commission - Jordan in 2018 and is responsible for developing and fundraising for filmmaking training programs. She was selected for the MEMI screenwriting program in 2021 where she developed her TV project and pitched it in the Cairo International Film Festival. Mira received her master’s in Development & International Cooperation and bachelor’s in Business Administration.

Malik Maliki is a self-taught Iraqi screenwriter and director based in the United States. Along with his enthusiasm for film, he is an avid creator of art and poetry. His films focus on complex character-driven stories, which are grounded in the human trials and tribulations of love, loss, and injustice, with elements of surrealism woven throughout. He is currently working on developing his debut feature film, “Dijur.”

Aakash Shewakaramani is an Indian based filmmaker with roots in Dubai and USA. Having spent most of his life as an immigrant, his work focuses on expat culture and the privileges, limitations, and identity crises that come hand in hand with it. He is currently co-writing two web series for Sony and Dice Media and has worked in creating adverts, shows, and short films for brands and production houses like Netflix India Social, Pocket Aces, Dell, Times Network and more.

Yousef Abu-Ulbeh is a Palestinian American writer and public-school educator currently teaching middle school Language Arts in Tacoma, Washington. Born to a Palestinian immigrant and a white mother, Yousef has always questioned his identity as a white-passing person with an Arabic name and Palestinian roots.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
January 2022 Session

Nyambura M. Waruingi is the Founder and Creative Director of Akoia & Company, based in Nairobi, Kenya. A cultural activist and producer with a 20-year career, she has worked with award-winning production companies, public cultural institutions, and arts collectives around the world. Nyambura directs and produces for film/TV, immersive, and gaming. She’s been awarded various Canadian screenwriting grants and penned 10 episodes of RUSH, nominated for Best New Series in 2015. Her mantra: imagine radically.

Rand Faris is a Middle Eastern Actress & writer who has completed her studies in England, graduating with a BA Hons degree in Drama and Psychology. Born in America, and raised in Jordan, she values and continues to expand her diverse perspective. She hopes to bridge the gap between Arab and Western Cultures, using this very perspective, through work she creates, participates in, and contributes to. 

Waseem Abbas is a graduate of UCLA’s Professional training program in acting (2018), and recently had his debut feature in ‘Baghdad in My Shadow’. He has continued to pursue acting roles in the UK and US, playing in a variety of productions. Waseem has been working as a co-writer and producer on ‘Electrum’, an upcoming feature film based within the Superhero genre. He is currently at the Filmhaus Residency program in Basel, Switzerland, where he continues to develop his career.

Samah El Kadi is a Director and Screenwriter,  graduate of NYFA in Los Angeles, after directing commercials to some of the region’s most prominent brands including (Samsung, Mastercard, Tesla, Vodafone, KFC); Driven by the relevance and transformative power of telling stories. He began his focus on telling longer form narratives, He also co-founded Balkoon, which is a new age media company exploring uncensored ideas and art. And has recently received an international Emmy nomination for his short film Stardust among Shahid's 6:07 series which commemorates the victims of the Beirut Blast.

Nadim Chammas was taught scriptwriting by Marie-Geneviève Ripeau from Femis (Paris) in Profil (a joint program with ALBA, Beirut). He wrote “Le Russe est Revenu”, a feature script that has been awarded a “Special Jury Award” at the Mediterranean Film Festival of Montpellier in 2001. Fond of theater and cinema, Nadim lives in Lebanon where he combines a business career in the fashion industry and artistic activities. In theater, he played in “Toc Toc” (Laurent Baffie), directed by Nadine Mokdessi (2018), and “Mr. Bechara” (Alexandre Najjar), directed by Lina Abyad (2019). In 2021, he played the starring role in “Love Letters” (A.R. Gurney), directed by Lina Abyad. He also took part in “Corona Days”, a short film directed by Farah Chaya in 2020 who was selected in several international festivals including the Toronto Short Film Festival. The movie received an award in the Independent Short Awards in Los Angeles (2020).

OFFICIAL SELECTION
August 2021 Session

FATEEMA AL-HAMAYDEH MILLER - Project: Waves
Fateema Al-Hamaydeh Miller is a half Palestinian half English/Irish/German screenwriter, performer & director based in Toronto. Her work explores themes of fragmented identity, isolation, and connection through a lens of grounded "oh no, should I laugh?" comedy. Fateema’s background in improv and clown greatly influences her writing and directing process as she strives to create with integrity, depth & a sense of humor. Fateema is passionate about creating more nuanced and humanizing representations of Arabs and Muslims on screen and creating space for marginalized voices in front of and behind the camera. As a Trauma Survivor, Fateema is working towards creating both trauma-informed sets and trauma-informed storytelling. Fateema is also a writer with The Don Valley Girls, a Toronto-centric WOC sketch group funded by TOsketchfest. She has recently been commissioned by the Toronto Arab Film Festival to create a short project under the mentorship of award-winning filmmaker Rolla Tahir.

JOSEF KHALLOUF - Project: Radio
After his B.A. in Advertising and Marketing, Josef Khallouf attends film classes and starts watching and learning from cult films and reading film theory. In 2013, he completed a screenwriting course with Bridget Holding at the University Of Exeter (England). 2002-2019, Josef worked on numerous Features, Short, Documentary Films, and TV Commercials as a Line Producer with local and international directors. He films "Beit Byout" (2007), "Conflict 1949 - 1979" (2012), "VNV: An Essay on Existentialism" (2017), all of which were selected at international film festivals. Currently, Josef is developing his short film "RADIO".

SINA SULTANI - Project: Trace
Sina was raised on science fiction with Persian music blasting in the background. That mix of Afghan-Canadian cultures formed the backbone of every project and has written a number of sci-fi, drama, and comedy screenplays/pilots with Trans, Indigenous and Afro-Canadian artists, his unique blend of narratives have earned numerous awards at international competitions. In addition, his production credits on films such a Space Jam: A New Legacy and Aquaman, demonstrate a keen understanding of production timelines and the ramifications of creative changes. Complimenting that experience are the 80 awards and official selections he has earned as a writer, director, and producer across several minority-focused short films. Combining that with his membership in the Producers Guild of America, Canadian Media Producers Association, and recent selections from both the Netflix Diversity of Voices and Sony Diversity Mentorship programs, Sina is committed to ensuring equitable representation through cultural collaboration across every project.

SUNNY KING - Project: Goat Head
Sunny King is an award-winning writer/director that is focused on the Black and African Diaspora experience in genre cinema. He has been a finalist and winner at several film festivals worldwide with his two shorts Unspoken and Prey. He also had a three-day general release in the cinemas at Picturehouse Central, Hackney Picturehouse, and Ritzy cinema in the summer of 2016 for his short film, Prey. Prey was listed in AMC and Shudder's Horror Noire syllabus of Black horror. Sunny has been selected to participate in the Talents Durban mentorship program and Durban FilmMart 2021. He is a modern tales alumni in association with the BFI. And has been featured on the BBC. He is currently a mentee at Screenskills Procreate in association with SOUL FEST 2021.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
May 2021 Session

Akuchinyerem 'Kuchi Chris' Okonkwo is a screenwriter, actor, and producer. She is currently studying for a Masters in Film Production at the Pan Atlantic University in Lagos, Nigeria. She is passionate about filmmaking and wants to tell stories that reflect the unique African experience. She has starred in a number of short films and web series. Her first short film project as a producer is currently in the final stages of post-production and will soon be released.

Eiman Mirghani is a Sudanese-Egyptian writer and filmmaker based in Qatar. Upon graduating with a BA in Media & Film Studies from the University of Nottingham, Eiman began her career as an Assistant Director in 2015 with the Doha Film Institute. Since 2019, Eiman went on to produce and direct several short films, including her short documentary film “The Bleaching Syndrome” which was produced under the mentorship of world-renowned documentarian Rithy Panh. In 2020, Eiman established "FilmMENA", a production house and initiative which aims to elevate the voices of MENA filmmakers through production support and education.

Maysaa Almumin was born in Kuwait and is currently living and working as an Assistant Professor in design in Qatar. She grew up in London where she was trained and practiced in architecture after which she moved to Kuwait and then Qatar where she started teaching design, acting, and eventually filmmaking. Between acting and directing, Maysaa has been involved in film projects in Kuwait, Italy, Egypt, and Qatar. Her previous work has been the recipient of grants from the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture and the Doha Film Institute and has been official selections at Tampere International and Malmo Arab Film Festival. Maysaa's films strive to tell the stories of overlooked middle-aged Arab women that straddle the peripheries of their community.

Nicole Asinugo
As a multidisciplinary creative, Nicole has built a career harnessing the power of storytelling, spanning the fields of advertising, editorial, film, and media. She is currently working as a storyteller and content creator at Expo 2020 Dubai – a global platform for International Cooperation and Innovation that will bring together 190+ nations in October 2021. Her debut as a screenwriter with Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, saw her win Best Screenplay at the 2020 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards. She has since written her second feature, Rattlesnake: the Ahanna Story, to critical and commercial acclaim. Having realized storytelling’s capacity to build communities of creativity and expression, she has launched two platforms: ‘The Stories we tell’, a podcast for dialogue between African writers; and ‘The Writers Room Nigeria’ a creative community nurturing and connecting local writing talent. In March 2021, Leading Ladies Africa honored Nicole as the #100 most inspiring women in Nigeria. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nottingham and a Post Graduate Diploma from the London School of Journalism.

Omar Aburashed is a writer, recording artist, and attorney based in Michigan. He was born in Michigan and is the youngest child of 2 Palestinian immigrants. He is currently working on an episodic script titled “Somewhere Between”.

Sabrine Hossamy is an Egyptian Darbuka and Doff player. In 2010, EMI released Sabrine's debut record 'Darbuka Heat' featuring artists from Europe and the Middle East. In 2016, she founded “Dom Tak Cairo” school. In 2017, she brought her soloing show “ya sem” together with a live contemporary dance performance, talking about women harassment in Egypt. The piece won several prizes, the TBC festival and the national theater prize the same year. In 2019, she directed, composed, and performed her first independent theater performance “Albi” which combined contemporary dance with electronic music and Darbuka.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
March 2021 Session

Cynthia Blancaflor is an award-winning Filipina American writer, musician, and filmmaker. She was awarded a San Francisco Bay Guardian GOLDIE Award for music as the lead singer of Blaktroniks. She has been featured as a performance poet at numerous events, most notably, the 20th anniversary of "ThisBridge Called My Back," a feminist literary anthology. As a part of Kreatibo, a queer Pinay arts collective, she was awarded a Curve Magazine Theater Award for her writing and performance in "Dalagas and Tomboys: A Family Affair" at Bindlestiff Studios in San Francisco, California, which explores themes of immigration, religion, same-sex marriage and more.

Project: Numinous

Ajna, a mystical Filipina rising DJ sensation in artsy Oakland, must make a choice between a big career opportunity or pay respect to her estranged family when her father suddenly passes. On the journey, she discovers romance with Starr, a mysterious Black female dancer who shares much in common with her. Together, they find a rare kinship against others’ expectations.

Joel Farran is a Chicago-based Palestinian-American writer. Over time, he has honed an imagination to unify his fragmented, diasporic experiences. Recently leaving behind a corporate executive role, Farran conjured soul through brand advertising creative direction and otherwise parochial expository writing including large-scale experiential events, speeches, and policy positions. Through the power of storytelling and film, Farran currently seeks to exalt exiled and occupied Palestinian experiences and representations that advance just pursuits of self-determination.

Project: The Re-Collect

The Re-Collect is a short film featuring the dilemma of a Palestinian-American entrepreneurial medical technologist who is commercializing a patented memory restoration solution. He is forced to reconcile a repressed diasporic experience and the fate of three generations worldwide in a moment when he must decide whether the technology will “go-live.”

Mazen Fawzy is an aspiring Egyptian filmmaker who aims to explore the universal themes of communication, obsession, and egoism. While he was studying medicine, he found out his passion for cinema and filmmaking. So he decided to pursue film criticism to satisfy his passion. He was published in online and offline publications, as well as the bulletins of most of the Egyptian film festivals such as Cairo International Film Festival, Gouna Film Festival and Luxor African Film Festival. He is currently wrapping up post-production for his short film “Days Hours Minutes”, as well as, writing his first feature film, “The Maze”.

Project: Maze 

The Maze is a psychological drama about Maged El Demiry, a talk show host who lives a happy and stable life with his wife Nariman, and their child, Yusuf. While Maged plans for his participation in the elections of the Egyptian Parliament, his life is turned upside down when Yusuf tells him that he overheard his mother saying that she is going to kill her husband. That small idea gradually leads to destructive consequences. 

Anas Tolba is an award-winning filmmaker and director. His work in music videos, films and documentaries spans more than eight countries around the world. His work is characterized by human-centric storytelling, and hope for positive social impact. His debut feature film “Between Two Seas”, which tackles issues related to underrepresented communities in rural Egypt, has won six international film awards.

Project: Ashes

Khaled, an Egyptian living abroad, struggles with saving up money to send his family back home. He is faced with a tough decision when he finds out that one of his few friends in the US has passed away and there is no money for him to get buried.

Laila Qaddumi is a Palestinian writer based in New York. She was born in Kuwait. She received her MA in Comparative Literature at Columbia University. She is currently working on an episodic script titled “Holy  ****!”

Nakita Rakel Joseph tries to live out her values and commitment to Black liberation and Judaism every day. Nakita is a social worker, researcher, adjunct lecturer, and organizer. 

Project: Things I Cannot Say 

This Night is Different is about a blended Black Jewish family in search of their individual identities. Things I Cannot Say follows the story of four characters representing the Afro-Palestinian community, the Ethiopian Jewish community, and the Sephardi/Mizrahi community.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
January 2021 Session

Edelawit Hussien (1995, Ethiopia) is a New York City-based Ethiopian filmmaker and creative director whose work aims to explore dual identity and Black aesthetics to challenge narratives of Africa and what it means to be African. She graduated from New York University in 2017 where she studied politics, film, and African studies. She is currently wrapping up post-production for her short "Be Somebody" and developing her first feature.

Project: In Time
A young immigrant man attempts to grapple with his responsibilities to society and family while holding on to the freedoms of his new life abroad.

Alex Burunova is a Los Angeles based writer-director whose films premiered at over 60 International Festivals and garnered numerous Best Director and Best Film awards. Her recent projects include a digital pilot for A&E and a Netflix documentary feature, ENTER THE ANIME, which was shot in Tokyo and came out last fall.  Alex holds a degree from USC School of Cinematic Arts and is a well-versed traveler and explorer, having lived and worked in Moscow, Tokyo, Belarus and Spain.

Project: Satisfaction
In an attempt to fix their relationship, a couple travels to a remote Greek island, where they start a three-way affair with another woman that will bring to light a traumatic event from their past.

Zeynep Köprülü is an Istanbul based filmmaker whose work revolves around displacement, distantness, coming of age, and separation. She received her MA degree in film from Bilgi University and attended FAMU in Prague. Her short films “Dancing Girls” and “Orada” traveled film festivals worldwide. Zeynep is currently working on her first feature film "At Sea".

Project: At Sea
Young woman travels to her hometown years after her father’s death to attend her mother’s wedding.

Yossera Bouchtia is a Moroccan American drama and thriller screenwriter/director whose work is committed to challenging stereotypes, dispelling misconceptions and shedding light on hidden truths while bridging the gap between the eastern and western worlds. Yossera received her M.F.A. in Film Directing from Columbia University in New York City, and earned both a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Cinema from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Her narrative short films have screened at the Salento International Film Festival, LA Shorts Fest, Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival, FilmShop Breakthrough Series, and Women’s International Film Festival in Salé, Morocco. At present, she is developing a horror feature, Yasmine/Jasmine, which was selected by the Cine Qua Non Lab for the Storylines 2020 program. Yossera is currently based in Virginia and is an Assistant Professor of Cinema at VCU School of the Arts. 

Project: Yasmine/Jasmine
After the sudden and mysterious death of her mother, a grieving daughter must contend with haunting visitations from her doppelganger to put an end to a generational curse. 

Faisal Attrache is a writer, director and producer who tells stories about universal human experiences with a socially conscious message. His short docu-fiction film Hasta Siempre, Comandante (2016), made under the tutelage of Abbas Kiarostami, won a Mention Spéciale du Jury at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France. His short documentary Growing Home (2014) premiered at the Sheffield DocFest, UK (2015) and won Best Documentary Short at the Newport Beach Film Festival, US. He received an MFA in Film Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles. Born in Swaida, Syria, Attrache grew up in California and is currently based between the US and the UK."

Project: From The Mountain
In 1922 French-occupied Syria, Sultan, a fiery local leader and war hero, stands up for the rights of his community and family when his guest is arrested by the French. After the situation escalates to war, Sultan must reconcile his vision of independence with the safety of his family.

Samer Battikhi is a Jordanian film director & writer who has been working in the film industry in Jordan since 2015. He has directed, written, and produced four short films. He had started as an assistant director, working with several veteran national and international projects, ranging from acclaimed feature films, TV series, and TV commercials. His latest short film titled “Arnoos” starred the famous Jordanian star Saba Mubarak, and the international Palestinian actor Ziad Bakri. It is currently being distributed through MAD solutions. Samer is working now on developing his first feature film titled “Men Mal Allah” a social satire that he is planning to bring to life in the near future. And on the other hand, he is currently working on his first TV series by collaborating with the acclaimed Jordanian writer Omar Arafa, and the Jordanian actor Majd Eid, who is a recurring partner to Samer. They shot a pilot episode to be pitched to several platforms along with a full series bible.

Project: Men Mal Allah
An old washed up stage actor competes to become a beggar for a last shot at getting recognized.

Walid Said is an aspiring Jordanian-Palestinian filmmaker and actor. He earned his bachelors in theatre (acting & writing) and finance from Emory University; then a MSc in Finance from Imperial College. With writing and filmmaking always his passion at heart, after a few years in the corporate grind, he decided to leave that world behind and dive back into the creative domain. Walid hopes to mesh complex, philosophical ideas into simple, relatable Arab stories to inspire thought and creativity throughout the  Middle East.

Project: Sisyphus
After a young Arab barista loses his job, he struggles to find money to pay his rent.

Noora Alawadi is a strategy specialist with vast experience in mentoring youth. Although her field isn't directly connected to the film industry, she has previously been involved as a creative and executive producer of a short film under a project run by Arab Labs in Dubai. 

Project: Khalifa (School of Heroes)
Dealing with the threat of losing the orphanage he grew up in, Khalifa, has to take the jump from orphan to superhero to save his home.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
November 2020 Session

Project: Deep
Desmond Jackson
 is an LA based Writer-Director, an alum of the Academy Gold 2019 program and an Academy certified story analyst. Recently, he directed an award-winning horror short currently navigating the festival circuit. Ultimately, Desmond hopes his films unite, inspire, and leave audiences with a nuanced understanding of the African diaspora.

Project: Lily’s Yesterday
Diana Abousaleh
 is a Syrian-Venezuelan creative, mental health advocate, and educator. She holds a degree in Radio/TV/Film from the University of Texas At Austin as well as a Master’s in Entertainment Business. You'll often find her listening to her favorite film scores or fueling her coffee addiction at a coffee shop. Pre-covid, of course.

Project: The Family Business
Erika Campany
 earned an MFA in television and screenwriting from Stephens College in 2018, and have attended the Stowe Story Labs writer's retreat in 2019 and 2020. Erika is a member of the Ladyparts Collective, a theater group in Los Angeles focused on making work that reflects the issues of the community.

Project: Alien Boy
Fawaz Al-Matrouk 
is a director working out of San Francisco. He was born in Kuwait and grew up in Canada, where he was convinced as a child that UFOs would abduct him. His short films have played in festivals worldwide, and his feature development is supported by Sundance and SFFILM.

Project: Majhol
Moayad Abualkhair
 is a Saudi Arabian documentary producer. His work in the past has focused on Arabian history and Islamic monuments. In recent years, he has made the switch to the entertainment industry aspiring to become a writer/director as he is currently developing his first feature film. Mo holds a BFA from Belmont University/Watkins College of Art, Design & Film.

Project: Ibn El Leil
Mohamed Kassaby is an Egyptian filmmaker who has written, produced and directed three short narrative films. He pursued his studies in filmmaking at the Jesuit Cultural Center, and later he was granted a filmmaking scholarship in CineArts university. His second film 'That's What Happened' had a worldwide journey in over twenty festivals and was distributed later through multiple online platforms including Filmmakers cooperative.

Project: Man Eater
Alexandra Mackey is studying screenwriting at UCLA. She is a lifelong visual artist with a panache for portrait painting, still in the process of perfecting her voice as a writer. Though not a Political Scientist by profession, her Bachelor's in Political Science from Mills College greatly informs her work.