Delegation Mentors

Jihan El Tahri is an award-winning Egyptian/French director, producer, writer, and visual artist. She has directed documentaries for the BBC, PBS, and Arte, and her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Berlin Biennale, MoMA, and Centre Pompidou. She has served as Director of DOX BOX, a Berlin-based documentary institution, and has been a member of various selection committees, including Locarno Film Festival and the Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Oscars). El Tahri is also a film mentor and script doctor, working with institutions like Focus Features, Berlinale Talent Campus, and Documentary Campus. Her writings include "Les Sept Vies de Yasser Arafat" and "Israel and the Arabs, The 50 Years War." She is actively involved in promoting African cinema, serving as treasurer of the Guild of African Filmmakers in the Diaspora and advisor on Focus Feature’s Africa First Program.

Nadine Naous is a Lebanese director, writer, and actress of Palestinian descent known for her award-winning documentary "The Lebanese Rocket Society" (2013), which won numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Film Festivals and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy. Naous, who was born in Beirut and grew up in the United States, has also directed "Lebanon in a Day" (2016) and "The Letter" (2019), and has worked on television series and documentaries for National Geographic, Discovery, and Al Jazeera. She is an advocate for social change and is involved in various film festivals and initiatives. Naous's work is known for its visual beauty and emotional impact, and she continues to create meaningful content that inspires and challenges audiences.