Ahmad Abdalla

Ahmad Abdalla is an Egyptian filmmaker and one of the leading voices of the new wave of independent Arab cinema. Originally trained in music, he worked as a film editor before making his directorial debut with Heliopolis (2009), one of the first independent Egyptian films to achieve a wide theatrical release. His second feature, Microphone (2010), won more than twenty international awards and was selected among the 100 Best Arabic Films of All Time by the Dubai International Film Festival. His subsequent films, including Rags & Tatters (2013), Decor (2014), EXT/Night (2018), and 19B (2023), have been screened at major international festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Singapore International Film Festival, and São Paulo International Film Festival. Throughout his career, Abdalla's work has received numerous international honors, including the Golden Antigone at Cinemed Montpellier, the Golden Tanit at the Carthage Film Festival, and the Golden Tulip at the Istanbul International Film Festival. Been a Jury member in many festivals as London BFI 2014 , Dubai International Film Festival 2017, Carthage Film Festival 2012. Alongside his filmmaking practice, Abdalla has mentored emerging filmmakers through initiatives such as the Doha Film Institute's Short Film Lab and has served on the juries of several prominent international festivals, including the BFI London Film Festival, the Dubai International Film Festival, and the Carthage Film Festival.