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People in Film

What does it take to work in 'the business'? DFI interviews professionals from all aspects of the film world on how they got their start, what they do, and...

...what they see as the future for filmmaking in the Arab world.

• People in Film: Barmak Akram

  Nov 30, 2013 - BLOG

  Among the titles screening at Ajyal, there’s one that everybody…

  

• People in Film: Maziar Miri

  Nov 29, 2013 - BLOG

  Today evening at 6:00 PM, do not miss out on Ajyal’s only public…

  

• People in Film: Mohamad Malas

  Oct 01, 2013 - BLOG

  The Doha Film Institute caught up with master Syrian director Mo…

  

• People in Film: The Tahaddi Graduates

  Sep 24, 2013 - BLOG

  With the fourth edition of the Tahaddi 7-Day Filmmaking Challeng…

  

• People in Film: Mahdi Fleifel

  Jun 26, 2013 - BLOG

  Director Mahdi Fleifel’s ‘A World Not Ours’ is in heavy rotation…

  

• People in Film: Nashen Moodley

  Jun 19, 2013 - BLOG

  Nashen Moodley, the festival director of the Sydney Film Festiva…

  

• People in Film: Sam French

  Jun 05, 2013 - BLOG

  Director Sam French has recently returned to the USA after a fiv…

  

• People in Film: Tarzan and Arab

  May 28, 2013 - BLOG

  Mohammed and Ahmad Abu Nasser’s short film ‘Condom Lead’ was pre…

  

• People in Film: Khadija Al Salami

  May 07, 2013 - BLOG

  I really make these films for myself…

  

• People in Film: Hakim Belabbas

  Apr 30, 2013 - BLOG

  Hakim Belabbas was born in Morocco. He obtained a BA in American…

  

• People in Film: Giuseppe Carrieri

  Apr 23, 2013 - BLOG

  Giuseppe Carrieri’s ‘In Utero Srebrenica’ screened at the ninth…

  

• People in Film: Samr Al Marzooqi

  Apr 16, 2013 - BLOG

  Samr Al Marzooqi is the Dubai Film Marketing Manager of Dubai In…

  

• People in Film: Kholoud Al Ali and Fatma Al Nesf

  Apr 08, 2013 - BLOG

  After the Middle East Film & Comic Con as they returned to s…

  

• People in Film: Feras Al Omireen

  Mar 31, 2013 - BLOG

  As we move closer to the second annual Middle East Film & Co…

  

• People in Film: Malik Bendjelloul

  Mar 19, 2013 - BLOG

  As part of our Documentary Fortnight exploring the impact and re…

  

• People in Film: Ashutosh Gowariker

  Mar 12, 2013 - BLOG

  Ashutosh Gowariker is an iconic Indian filmmaker who has brought…

  

• People in Film: Jovanka Vuckovic

  Mar 05, 2013 - BLOG

  I first came across Jovanka Vuckovic’s diverse works about a yea…

  

• People in Film: Hatem Ali

  Feb 26, 2013 - BLOG

  Hatem Ali is an award-winning Syrian television and film directo…

  

• People in Film: Wedad Al Kuwari

  Feb 19, 2013 - BLOG

  Wedad Al Kuwari is a renowned Qatari writer who has been called…

  

• People in Film: Scott McGehee and David Siegel

  Feb 05, 2013 - BLOG

  Directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel have been collaborating…

  

• People in Film: Mohammed Saeed Harib

  Jan 30, 2013 - BLOG

  The unique style and cultural significance of animator, artist,…

  

• People in Film: Anupam Kher

  Jan 22, 2013 - BLOG

  Anupam Kher is one of the most renowned actors in Indian cinema…

  

• People in Film: Haifa Al Mansour

  Jan 08, 2013 - BLOG

  Haifa Al Mansour is widely known as the first female Saudi filmm…

  

• People in Film: Yasmina Khadra

  Dec 31, 2012 - BLOG

  Yasmina Khadra is the pseudonym of Algerian writer Mohammed Mole…

  

• People in Film: Malik Bendjelloul

  Dec 25, 2012 - BLOG

  After flying in from Sweden, Malik Bendjelloul, the director, ed…

  

• People in Film: Michael Singh

  Dec 18, 2012 - BLOG

  At the fourth edition of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, DFI’s e…

  

• People in Film: Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige

  Nov 06, 2012 - BLOG

  Beirut-based artist-filmmakers Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Jore…

  

• People in Film: Teresa Cavina

  Oct 22, 2012 - BLOG

  We spoke to Teresa Cavina, Programming Director at the Abu Dhabi…

  

• Meeting Mohammed Al Turki

  Oct 17, 2012 - BLOG

  Mohammed Al Turki is a film producer, philanthropist and popular…

  

• People in Film: Mahmoud Asfa and Ossama Bawardi

  Oct 16, 2012 - BLOG

  Palestine’s Oscar submission for 2012 ‘When I Saw You’ enjoyed i…

  

• People in Film: Annemarie Jacir and Hala AlAbdalla

  Oct 09, 2012 - BLOG

  Filmmakers are on their way to the sixth Abu Dhabi Film Festival…

  

• People in Film: Dania Majid

  Oct 02, 2012 - BLOG

  Festival season is in full swing, from North America to the Midd…

  

• People in Film: Timo Vuorensola

  Sep 25, 2012 - BLOG

  Timo Vuorensola is the director of ‘Iron Sky’ and ‘Star Wreck: I…

  

• People in Film: Frank Rose (Part 1)

  Sep 18, 2012 - BLOG

  Frank Rose is a writer and speaker on the impact of technology o…

  

• People in Film: Christopher D. Ford

  Sep 13, 2012 - BLOG

  Christopher D. Ford is “Robot & Frank’s” screenwriter,…

  

• People in Film: Rasha Salti

  Sep 11, 2012 - BLOG

  Rasha Salti was hired last year as Toronto International Film Fe…

  

• People in Film: Mahdi Ali Ali

  Aug 28, 2012 - BLOG

  Mahdi Ali Ali is Doha Film Institute’s Gulf Film Development man…

  

• People in Film: Fileena Bahris

  Aug 21, 2012 - BLOG

  Fileena Bahris is an actress and jewellery designer for films. R…

  

• People in Film: Abdullah Hassan Ahmed

  Aug 14, 2012 - BLOG

  Emirati filmmaker Abdullah Hassan Ahmed has directed several sho…

  

• People in Film: Mohammed Saeed Harib

  Aug 07, 2012 - BLOG

  Emirati animator Mohammed Saeed Harib is the creator of the accl…

  

• People in Film: Faran Tahir

  Jul 24, 2012 - BLOG

  Faran Tahir is an American Pakistani actor, recognisable for his…

  

• People in Film: Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

  Jul 17, 2012 - BLOG

  Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s “Saving Face” won this year’s Academy Aw…

  

• People in Film: Naif Al-Mutawa

  Jul 10, 2012 - BLOG

  Naif Al-Mutawa is the Kuwaiti creator of ‘The 99’ comics, televi…

  

• People in Film: Jack Shaheen

  Jul 03, 2012 - BLOG

  Jack Shaheen is a leading authority on the image of Arabs and Mu…

  

• People in Film: Mohammed Hassan Ahmed

  Jun 27, 2012 - BLOG

  Mohammed Hassan Ahmed is one of the UAE’s rising screenwriters.…

  

• People in Film: Amir Talai

  Jun 20, 2012 - BLOG

  Amir Talai is a 34 year old American actor of Iranian origin. He…

  

• People in Film: Rahab Elewaly

  Jun 14, 2012 - BLOG

  Rahab Elewaly is an Egyptian American animator. Her 12-minute sh…

  

• People In Film: Ahmad Abdalla

  Jun 10, 2012 - BLOG

  Ahmed Abdalla is an Egyptian film director, editor and screen wr…

  

• People in Film: Aaron Kaufman

  May 28, 2012 - BLOG

  Aaron Kaufman founded Barbarian Films, is part of Robert Rodrigu…

  

• People in Film: Masoud Amr Allah

  May 01, 2012 - BLOG

  The Artistic Director of the Dubai International Film Festival s…

  

• People in Film: Yassine Azzouz

  Apr 02, 2012 - BLOG

  Yassine Azzouz is a French actor/writer, who rose to prominence…

  

• People in Film: H.E.Mr Kenjiro Monji

  Mar 26, 2012 - BLOG

  H.E. Mr. Kenjiro Monji, the Ambassador of Japan to the State of…

  

• People in Film: Annemarie Jacir

  Mar 19, 2012 - BLOG

  Annemarie Jacir is an acclaimed filmmaker and screenwriter livin…

  

• People in Film: Janet Pierson

  Mar 12, 2012 - BLOG

  Stephen Dalton interviews SXSW Festival Producer,Janet Pierson.

  

• People in Film: Assia Dagher

  Mar 06, 2012 - BLOG

  She is without a doubt the pioneer of Arab cinema of the last ce…

  

• People in Film: Sabah

  Mar 05, 2012 - BLOG

  She had trademark blonde hair and a contagious smile. She swayed…

  

• People in Film: Sacha Bronwasser and Peter van Hoof

  Feb 28, 2012 - BLOG

  Peter van Hoof is the founder of Cinema De Balie, the independen…

  

• People in Film: Petr Lom

  Feb 20, 2012 - BLOG

  Petr Lom was born in Prague in 1968, and grew up in Canada. A fo…

  

• People in Film: Faouzi Bensaidi

  Feb 14, 2012 - BLOG

  Moroccan-born actor, writer and director Faouzi Bensaidi had his…

  

• People in Film: Emad Burnat

  Feb 07, 2012 - BLOG

  Films from Palestinian directors are a rarity. Which is why it w…

  

• People in Film: Rania Stephan

  Jan 31, 2012 - BLOG

  Born in Beirut, Rania Stephan obtained a degree in Cinema Studie…

  

• People in Film: Michael Desante

  Jan 24, 2012 - BLOG

  Born in Palestine, Michael Desante is an actor, producer and wri…

  

• People in Film: Sulafa Hijazi

  Jan 17, 2012 - BLOG

  Sulafa Hijazi is a writer, producer and director of animated TV…

  

• People in Film: Namir Abdel Meseeh

  Jan 10, 2012 - BLOG

  Namir is a French/Egyptian filmmaker who directed two short fict…

  

• People in Film: Karim Safieddine

  Dec 20, 2011 - BLOG

  Karim Safieddine’s first job was at Miramax Films in New York in…

  

• People in Film: Raya Meddine aka Rana Alamuddin

  Dec 13, 2011 - BLOG

  Raya Meddine is a Lebanese-American actress, writer and televisi…

  

• People in Film: Nareg Kalenderian

  Dec 06, 2011 - BLOG

  Nareg Kalenderian is a self-taught 3D artist and animator from L…

  

• People in Film: Latifa Robbana Doghri and Salem Trabelsi

  Nov 30, 2011 - BLOG

  “Boxing With Her” is a documentary exploring the world of female…

  

• People in Film: Firdoze Bulbulia

  Nov 23, 2011 - BLOG

  Firdoze Bulbulia is a director, producer, writer and educator. A…

  

• People in Film: Khaled El Hagar

  Oct 11, 2011 - BLOG

  Khaled El Hagar, born in Suez, Egypt in 1963, studied Law at Cai…

  

• People in Film: Ahmad Ghossein

  Oct 04, 2011 - BLOG

  Ahmad Ghossein is a filmmaker and video artist who graduated wit…

  

• People in Film: Tamer Ezzat

  Sep 27, 2011 - BLOG

  Tamer Ezzat is an Egyptian filmmaker who started his career in 1…

  

• People in Film: Ludmila Cvikova

  Sep 20, 2011 - BLOG

  Ludmila Cvikova holds a Masters from the University of Amsterdam…

  

• People in Film: Basil Khalil

  Sep 13, 2011 - BLOG

  Basil Khalil was born and raised in Nazareth to a Palestinian fa…

  

• People in Film: Kaouther Ben Hania

  Sep 06, 2011 - BLOG

  Kaouther Ben Hania studied cinema in both Tunisia and France, an…

  

• People in Film: Najdat Anzour

  Aug 23, 2011 - BLOG

  Syrian filmmaker Najdat Anzour tells DFI his filmmaking journey…

  

• People in Film: Mohamad Malas

  Aug 16, 2011 - BLOG

  Syrian filmmaker Mohamad Malas tells DFI his filmmaking journey&…

  

• People in Film: Tamara Stepanyan

  Aug 09, 2011 - BLOG

  Tamara Stepanyan was born in Armenia. During the breakdown of th…

  

• People in Film: Nabil Elouahabi

  Aug 02, 2011 - BLOG

  Nabil Elouahabi is a British Moroccan actor, arguably best known…

  

• People in Film: Nayla Al Khaja

  Jul 26, 2011 - BLOG

  Nayla graduated from Dubai Women’s College with a degree in Mass…

  

• People in Film: Hicham Ayouch

  Jul 19, 2011 - BLOG

  Hicham Ayouch is a Moroccan filmmaker that was born in Paris in…

  

• People in Film: Ali Hammoud

  Jul 12, 2011 - BLOG

  Ali Hammoud is a filmmaker, editor and artistic director. He was…

  

• People in Film: Zaid Abu Hamdan

  Jul 05, 2011 - BLOG

  Zaid Abu Hamdan was born in 1982 in Jordan. From a young age he…

  

• People in Film: Regan Hall

  Jun 28, 2011 - BLOG

  Regan Hall graduated from film school in New Zealand and started…

  

• People in Film: Hania Mroué

  Jun 21, 2011 - BLOG

  Hania Mroué is the Founder and Director of Metropolis Art Cinema…

  

• People in Film: Adel Al Ansari

  Jun 14, 2011 - BLOG

  Adel Al Ansari appeared on TV for the first time when he was 5 y…

  

• People in Film: Peter Webber

  Jun 05, 2011 - BLOG

  An internationally successful British filmmaker with 25 years’ e…

  

• People in Film: Niam Itani

  May 29, 2011 - BLOG

  She is currently a part time faculty member at LAU where she tea…

  

• People in Film: Bernadette Houdeib

  May 22, 2011 - BLOG

  Bernadette Houdeib is a teacher of self-expression through movem…

  

• People in Film: Dima Geagea

  May 15, 2011 - BLOG

  Dima Geagea was born in Beirut, Lebanon where she currently live…

  

• People in Film: Salim Ramia

  May 08, 2011 - BLOG

  Born and educated in Lebanon, Salim Ramia started his career in…

  

• People in Film: Christopher Gunning

  May 01, 2011 - BLOG

  Composing was always second nature, and Christopher would invent…

  

• People In Film: Sawsan Darwaza

  Apr 24, 2011 - BLOG

  Sawsan Darwaza is a theater and film director who works on colle…

  

• People in Film: Claire Naber Matalqa

  Apr 17, 2011 - BLOG

  Claire Naber Matalqa talks with DFI about working in both Jordan…

  

• People In Film: Cassandra Schaffa

  Apr 03, 2011 - BLOG

  DFI interviews Cassandra Schaffa, the Director of Festival Opera…

  

• People In Film: Samer Jaber

  Mar 30, 2011 - BLOG

  Samer Jaber, a presenter and senior producer at Al Jazeera Child…

  

• People in Film: Hamad Ali Ali

  Mar 24, 2011 - BLOG

  Hamad Ali Ali, a senior producer at Al Jazeera Children’s Channe…

  

• People in Film: Mohamad Hachem

  Mar 16, 2011 - BLOG

  Mohamad Hachem, founder and director of ‘DocuDays: The Beirut In…

  

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