Critic’s Week competition Jury
A Scottish director. His second feature film LIMBO was nominated for two BAFTAs in 2021 including Best British Film and Outstanding Debut. It won four BAFTA Scotland Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Writer and Best Actor. LIMBO was launched as part of the Cannes Official Selection 2020 amidst the global pandemic. It went onto screen at Toronto International Film Festival before garnering global critical acclaim and multiple awards on the international festival circuit including The Golden Pyramid for Best Film, the Critic’s Choice Award and The Henry Barakat Award for Best Artistic Contribution at Cairo International Film Festival in 2020. It was one of the highest grossing British independent films at the UK box office in 2021.
A Lebanese journalist, who has been working for more than 25 years for Radio Monte Carlo and France International where she actively covers culture and politics. She also worked with Agence France-Presse (AFP) covering the Arab cultural movement. She organised a number of cinematic events that focused on the Arab world in Paris and contributed to organising them by programming films.
She was selected as a jury member in many film festivals in Europe and the Arab world, and moderated several seminars on Arab cinema in Paris. She has participated in coverage of dozens of Arab and international festivals and is an active member of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). She studied theatre, literature and communication in Beirut and Paris, before working as a full time journalist.
An Egyptian actor and producer. Started his acting career in 2006 in the blockbuster LEISURE TIMES. He then went on to act in over 20 films and tv series both nationally and internationally. A few of his latest works are SAWAH, SONS OF RIZK and EXTERIOR/NIGHT, which he co-produced and had its World Premiere at TIFF.
Karim holds a BA in Theatre from the American University in Cairo, and took part in
many international acting workshops including Cours Florent. Over the last eleven years, Karim has been organising yearly Method Acting Workshops with Gerald James from the Lee Strasberg School in L.A to train both professional and aspiring Egyptian actors. He recently produced THE DITCH which screened in the short film competition of the 43rd CIFF.