Nadia Eliewat
Nadia Eliewat is a Jordanian producer, screenwriter and script editor best known for producing and co-writing the Lebanese box-office hit MAHBAS (Solitaire) in (2016), with over 110,000 admissions in the MENA release. The Jordanian film WHEN MONALIZA SMILED (2012), and the first OSN original feature YELLOW BUS (2023) which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival – Discovery (TIFF).
Nadia received several funds including AFAC, DFI, Hubert Bals Fund, Jordan Film Fund, CNC (Aide aux Cinémas du Monde) and others. She is an Alumni of Sundance Screenwriting Lab, Torino Film Lab, and Berlinale Talent Campus.
In 2017, Nadia managed the Dubai Film Market; the business hub of Dubai International Film Festival. She was an Associate Professor at the American University in Dubai from 2010 to 2017.
Sangeeta Desai
Sangeeta is a Partner at Ta Films. She is currently President & Board Director of Anton Corp and Non-executive Director of Boatrocker Media. Sangeeta’s previous executive roles include Interim CEO of OSN where she launched OSN+ and OSN+Originals, and Global COO and CEO of Emerging Markets of Fremantle where she built Fremantle’s premium drama business, and COO of HIT Entertainment before it was sold to Mattel. Sangeeta specialised in the media industry as a private equity investor at Apax Partners and investment banker at Goldman Sachs prior to that. She has an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a BS from UC, Berkeley.
Shivani Pandya Malhotra
Shivani Pandya Malhotra is the Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, overseeing the organization’s growth and flagship event. With over 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, she has been recognized as a top leader by Variety 500. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and serves on the Membership Board of Directors of the Golden Globes. She has also played key roles in launching and developing film festivals, film funds, labs and numerous industry initiatives, and has supported over 350 projects in the Middle East.
Farah el Assi
Farah El Assi is a Lebanese Line Producer and Production Manager. She started her career in (2011) in Jordan. Her T.V experience includes working with Abu Lughod Studios as an Executive Producer & Content Supervisor and later at Ro’ya T.V as a Producer for the channel’s most watched talk shows; Helwa ya Dunya & Dunya ya Dunya.
Her film experience started as a production coordinator on International productions; The French/Syrian feature film The Translator (2020), the Indian Series Special Ops (2020). She worked as a Production Manager on the award winning short film Tala’vision (2021) and the American CBS/Paramount series Seal Team. She was a Line Producer on the feature film Yellow Bus (2023) which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival – Discovery (TIFF).
Mira Nimri
Mira Nimri has worked in film training and mentorship programs since 2017. Driven by a passion to contribute to the growth of the film industry in the region, she has developed and managed many programs that supported filmmakers as they developed their films and TV series projects. Mira was selected for the MEMI Screenwriting Program in partnership with the University of Southern California (USC) in 2021 where she developed her TV project “Work In Progress” and pitched it at the Cairo International Film Festival. She also participated in the Cinephilia Film Development Workroom in 2022 and “Mosalsalat Lab” in 2023. Mira holds a Master’s in Development & International Cooperation and a bachelor’s in Business Administration.