Moderator:
Rolla Tahir, Filmmaker, TAF Co-founder & Artistic Director
Rolla Tahir is a filmmaker and director of photography based in Toronto. She’s lensed short, narrative and experimental films, which screened across Canada and internationally, including the UK, Germany, and the United States. Obsessed with the durability, longevity and spontaneity of the analog film medium, Rolla has worked with Super 8, 16mm and 35mm to explore the analog process and its possibilities.
Speakers:
Karam Masri, Filmmaker
Karam Masri is a Program Consultant for Film & Television at Ontario Creates, the provincial agency that supports the economic development of Ontario’s cultural sectors. Prior to joining Ontario Creates, Karam was the Business Analyst at the Bell Fund, a private fund that supports the creation and development of Canadian digital/TV multi-platform projects. Karam holds two Master’s degrees: an MFA in Film Production and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business. She also wrote & directed the short film “Juha the Whale”, winner of the York Thesis prize.
Ahmed Magdy, Filmmaker, Actor
Ahmed Magdy is a multi-talented filmmaker, actor, environmentalist, animal rights activist and a UNFPA champion who boasts an impressive repertoire in the industry. As an actor, Magdy took part in a number of highly-acclaimed films like the award-winning “Microphone” (2010), “The Gate of Departure” (2015), “Mawlana” (2016) and the award-winning “Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim” (2016) for which Magdy won the Best Actor award at the 6th Trophées Francophones du Cinéma in Sénégal among many other memorable films and TV series.
Following many successful directorial efforts, in 2018, Magdy made his feature film directorial debut “The Giraffe”, which is written and filmed by him as well. The film made its world premiered at the 40th Cairo International Film Festival and its international premiere at the Marrakech International Film Festival receiving wide critical acclaim. Recently, Ahmed took part in the TV Series El Anesa Farah, which is an adaptation of the well-known American romantic comedy Jane The Virgin. His latest TV drama, “Forsa Tanya” (A Second Chance), aired in Ramadan 2020. Produced by Synergy/Tamer Morsi, Magdy stars opposite of Egyptian star Yasmine Sabry. The TV drama was a huge success and received wide acclaim among audiences and critics alike. He was also announced as a jury member at the RFF-Revart Film Festival. Hailed as Egypt’s first online vertical festival, RFF aims to introduce a modern dimension of creativity to filmmakers during the COVID-19 crisis.
In addition, as a director and screenwriter, Magdy started working on his second feature film, The Crow, and is starring in the upcoming films “Talaat Harb” and “Hazr Tagawol” (Curfew).
Dina Emam, Film Producer
Named one of Variety’s 10 Producers to Watch in 2018, Dina Emam is an Egyptian-American film producer and educator working between New York and Cairo. Her first feature, Yomeddine, had its world premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival in the Main Competition, and was Egypt’s submission for the 91st Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
In addition to producing, she teaches filmmaking/producing workshops and masterclasses for aspiring filmmakers in the MENA region. Prior to becoming a film producer, Emam worked in television market research and production management at MTV Networks in New York City.
Emam holds a BS from New York University’s Stern School of Business in Marketing and International Business and an MFA in Creative Producing from Columbia University’s School of the Arts. She has previously served as an AmeriCorps volunteer.
Darine Hotait, Film Director
Darine Hotait is an Arab American writer, film director, and the founder of Cinephilia Productions— a New York-based film incubator championing African and Middle Eastern filmmakers. Darine has written and directed a dozen award-winning short films that can be seen on SundanceTV, AMC Networks, BBC Channel, ShortsTV, and at over a hundred international film festivals. She is the recipient of the prestigious New York Council on the Arts Artist Award, the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, the AFAC Cinema Grant, a Goethe Award, and an EMMY Blu Ribbon nomination. Her work has received the support of institutions like The Independent Film Project, Cannes Scriptwriters’ Pavilion, and The Sundance Institute. Darine is a published author of science fiction short stories and stage plays. Her literary work has appeared in several publications in print and online. www.darinehotait.com