In this episode of afikra's This Is Not A Watermelon, pioneer Palestinian filmmaker and director Mai Masri shares her cinematic journey, her inspirations, and the stories behind her most impactful works. Masri reflects on her early trilogy Children of Fire, Children of Shatila, and Frontier of Dreams and Fears, sharing the realities and experiences of filmin ... Show More
May 2026
Sound & Stone from Palestine to the World | Elias & Yousef Anastas
We talk with architects Elias and Yousef Anastas, partners at studio AAU Anastas about their deeply researched practice, their dedication to using stone in innovative and ethical ways, and the many social, political, and cultural considerations around building in Palestine, and b ... Show More
1h 8m
Mar 2026
Our Own Stories in Our Own Voices | Yara Hawari, Co-Director of Al-Shabaka
We talk about Palestinian storytelling from oral histories that transmit our stories across generations, to policy analysis that explains what is happening to us today in our own voices. In this conversation with Yara Hawari, the co-director of the Palestinian policy network Al-S ... Show More
1 h
Jan 2026
Director of Oscar-Shortlisted "All That's Left of You" Cherien Dabis | "Our Humanity Is Also Resistance"
Actress, director, producer, and screenwriter Cherien Dabis discusses her career, from directing shows like Ramy, Mo, and Only Murders in the Building to writing, directing and acting in her monumental new Palestinian film, All That's Left of You. She reflects on the profound imp ... Show More
1h 4m
Mar 2021
Mai Masri Filmmaker, Director, & Producer [Conversations]
Mai Masri is a Palestinian filmmaker, director, and producer. We interviewed her about her career in directing and producing award-winning films that have been broadcast on more than 100 television stations worldwide.Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikraEdited by: Ramzi Ramma ... Show More
54m 41s
Nov 2021
Lamia Joreige's Artistic Journey | Navigating Uncertain Times Through Memory & Archives
In this Conversation, we talked to Lamia Joreige about her career in art and film and how she portrays history through narration. Lamia, rooted in her country’s experience, explores the possibilities of representing the Lebanese wars and their aftermath.Created & Hosted by Mikey ... Show More
28m 40s
Jan 2022
ZEINA MAASRI | Visual and Cultural Politics | Conversations
In this conversation, we talked to Zeina Maasri about her investigation focused on post-1945 anti-colonial struggles, transnational anti-imperialist solidarities and violent conflicts, as complicated by a global Cold War order.Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: ... Show More
26m 37s
Jan 2022
Egyptian Cinema: Theorizing, Curating & Making Films | Viola Shafik
In this Movie Night event, we talked to Viola Shafik about her career in the filmmaking industry. Shafik talked about film theory in Arab cinema.Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/Ab ... Show More
26m 50s
Apr 2022
Beekeeping in Yemen: a 360 VR Experience | Mariam Al-Dhubhani
Mariam Al-Dhubhani talked about her latest project, "Musalem: Beekeeping in Yemen - A 360 VR Experience Film."Mariam Al-Dhubhani is a Yemeni-Russian award-winning journalist, filmmaker, curator, and educator based in the MENA region. She first pursued her passion for media during ... Show More
26m 27s
Nov 2020
Uniting Voices & Histories For Healing in a Global Dialogue | Dr Maytha Alhassen
We talked to the creative powerhouse & scholar, Maytha Alhassen about her academic scholarship, her work as a poet and activist, and her recent work as a writer on the Hulu show Ramy. Connect with Maytha: https://www.instagram.com/maythaalhassen/Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna ... Show More
50m 54s
May 2023
MALAKA GHARIB | Belonging, Divorce, & Summer in Egypt | Book Club
In this episode of Book Club, Malika Gharib joins us to share her musings on what it means to be an artist, the symbiotic relationship between journalism and comics, as well as what the 'American Dream' truly means. She reflects on growing up as a first-generation Filipino Egypti ... Show More
1h 1m