Adolf El Assal is an Egyptian-Luxembourgish film director, writer, and producer. He's been making films for over 20 years with productions distributed on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and beyond. Marianna and Ady chat about the film industry in the UAE (in comparison to Europe), the need for a regional international film festival, and the importance of supporting local filmmakers.

Mathias Noschis is a film marketing strategist  and the founder of Alphapanda, a film marketing agency based in Berlin with team members in Europe. Mathias shares what led him to start a film marketing agency, why he chose Berlin over London, and how signing Warner Brothers was instrumental to Alphapanda's growth. Marianna and Mathias chat about the state of US indie filmmaking, Cannes film festival. and why the Larnaca Cinema Festival is magical.

Kasper Selvig is a Norwegian podcast producer / audio editor living & working in LA. Marianna and Kasper chat all things podcasting (and why Dax Shepard is the ultimate podcaster), how Kasper ended up working with Rabbit Grin Productions (the legends behind Armchair Expert & That Was Us podcasts) & why Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch was his favorite podcast to produce. Kasper shares his love for true crime podcasts, and imparts insightful advice for aspiring podcasters.

Sami Saif Sirelkhatim is a Moroccan and Sudanese independent filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. Marianna and Sami chat about how his childhood influenced his career trajectory, studying at a film school in Morocco, and the inspiration for the award-winning Naima's Movie. Sami shares his experience of film festivals, signing with Mad Solutions, and his next project.

Gasper Chiaramonte is a Hollywood video editor and producer. He is best known for working as an Editor on American Idol, Chelsea Lately, The Late Late Show with James Corden & many other TV projects. Gasper shares insights on how to break into Hollywood, the key role an editor plays in unscripted TV, how well editors get paid, along with advice for aspiring editors. Marianna and Gasper chat about how you can't edit chemistry, Chelsea Handler living up to her reputation, the importance of marketing when it comes to indie films, Sean Baker's rise to success, and how YouTube is a great playground to discover your voice as a filmmaker. 

Ed Rowell is a creative producer and video editor based in the UK. Marianna and Ed reminisce about working together at TOH PR, Ed chats about the transformational experience that was working in production for Wigwam Films, and what it was really like to be part of the crew for a BAFTA winning film. Ed discusses the difference between creative agencies in the UAE vs UK, and shares his insights on the role of AI in film production.

Layal Moukahal is the founder and CEO of Film Pudding Productions. She shares her love for production, why the advertising agency world was not quite right for her, & overcoming obstacles when launching her own film production company. Marianna and Layal chat about their experiences of working with Arab men, and Layal gives some insights into what’s next for Film Pudding. 

Hayat Aljowaily is an Egyptian filmmaker & cultural programmer based between Paris & Cairo. Marianna chats to Hayat about how growing up in NYC during her formative years shaped her career, studying in the South of France,  interning at Mad Solutions in Cairo & Maven Pictures in New York, and launching Le Hangar, a Paris-based production company. Hayat shares how being a female filmmaker in a male-dominated industry has given her confidence, and spotting Al Pacino backstage once. 

Sameer Al Jaberi is the Head of Abu Dhabi Film Commission. Sameer shares his journey into the film industry, being on set of Mission Impossible, the Abu Dhabi Film Commission's new rebate for film producers, and how Abu Dhabi is supporting regional filmmakers. Marianna and Sameer chat about their shared love for ice skating, Vin Diesel, and why nothing beats gaining practical experience on a film production shoot.

Bilal Dayani is the COO of Eagle Films,  a motion pictures distributor & producer in the MIddle East and North Africa regions. Bilal discusses the early days of film distribution in the Middle East, DVDs, and the challenges of producing Arabic content. Marianna and Bilal chat about the horror genre, Saudi Arabia's bustling film industry, and Egyptian film talent. Bilal also shares some of the top Hollywood films he's distributed including Twilight and Saw.