We Speak Movies

Cairo Film Connection Unveils Five Mentor Tracks to Guide Filmmakers Beyond the Festival

Published

57 minutes ago

November 10, 2026

Filmmakers and industry guests at the Cairo International Film Festival

Filmmakers on stage at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival holding a scroll and a trophy. Photo by Cairo International Film Festival.

The Cairo International Film Festival is putting five working experts in the corner of the filmmakers coming through its industry platform. The new Cairo Film Connection Mentorship Programme pairs selected projects with specialists in documentary, pitching, financing, festival strategy and film law, and the guidance starts before the festival and keeps going after it ends.

Five specialised mentorship tracks to support filmmakers, with guidance continuing beyond the festival

The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), presided over by Hussein Fahmy, has announced details of the Cairo Film Connection Mentorship Programme, introduced as part of the 12th edition of Cairo Film Connection (CFC). The initiative aims to support filmmakers and help develop their projects through the expertise of five industry professionals. The programme begins ahead of the festival, continues throughout its duration and extends beyond its conclusion.

The programme offers five specialised mentorship tracks covering documentary development, project pitching strategies, creative budgeting and financing, festival strategies and engagement with European broadcasters, and a new track dedicated to legal affairs, film contracts and intellectual property rights.

The five mentors are filmmaker and producer Jihan El-Tahri; Egyptian legal expert Khaled El-Arabi; Egyptian writer, director and producer Mohamed Hammad; filmmaker, producer and editor Khalid Shamis; and Dutch producer and film industry expert Margje de Koning. Together, they bring expertise in film development, production, financing and distribution, offering participants professional guidance tailored to their projects and individual needs.

Jihan El-Tahri | Documentary Development

Jihan El-Tahri is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, writer and visual artist who has directed and produced more than 15 films. Her work has received international recognition and numerous awards. A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since 2017, she has also exhibited her artistic work in museums and at international art events, and published books exploring political and historical subjects.

Alongside her filmmaking career, El-Tahri has extensive experience mentoring filmmakers through international film labs and development workshops. She has served on the boards of several African and international film organisations, including the Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) and the African Diaspora Filmmakers Association.

Through the mentorship programme, El-Tahri will support documentary filmmakers in developing their projects and refining their creative visions, helping them shape films with a distinctive artistic identity and the potential to reach audiences.

Khaled El-Arabi | Legal Affairs, Film Contracts and Intellectual Property Rights

Khaled El-Arabi is an Egyptian legal expert specialising in entertainment law, intellectual property and copyright. He is the founder of El-Arabi Law Firm in Cairo, which provides legal services to artists, filmmakers, writers and production companies, including contract drafting and negotiation, legal representation and the protection of intellectual and creative rights.

El-Arabi has provided legal counsel on several films that have gained international festival recognition, including Captains of Zaatari, You Will Die at Twenty and Goodbye Julia. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and a master’s degree in law from Mansoura University.

His mentorship track will address the legal aspects of filmmaking, including intellectual property rights, production and distribution agreements, and the rights and obligations of the parties involved in film production. The aim is to help filmmakers protect their projects and manage their professional relationships within a clear legal framework.

Mohamed Hammad | Creative Budgeting and Financing

Mohamed Hammad is an Egyptian writer, director and producer who gained international attention with his debut feature, Withered Green, which screened at the Locarno Film Festival and earned him the Best Director Award at the Dubai International Film Festival, establishing him as a distinctive voice in Egyptian independent cinema.

His second feature, Safe Exit, had its world premiere in the Panorama section of the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival before winning the Golden El Gouna Star for Best Narrative Film at the ninth edition of the El Gouna Film Festival.

Hammad has also served on juries at several film festivals, including the Cairo International Film Festival and the Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts.

Drawing on his experience as a writer, director and producer, Hammad will mentor filmmakers in creative budgeting and financing, focusing on balancing production resources with artistic ambitions and making effective use of available resources to realise their cinematic visions.

Khalid Shamis | Film Project Pitching Strategies

Khalid Shamis is a filmmaker, producer and editor with more than 25 years of experience across a range of film production environments. His notable works include The Imam and I and The Colonel’s Stray Dogs.

Shamis founded Rough Cut Lab Africa, an initiative supporting African filmmakers during the editing process and the development of their films’ narrative structures. He serves on the boards of the Durban FilmMart Institute and the South African Guild of Editors, and is a doctoral fellow at the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape.

His mentorship track will focus on developing filmmakers’ pitching skills, helping them present their projects to producers, financiers and representatives of film institutions. Participants will work on creating clear, compelling pitches that communicate the creative and production potential of their projects and strengthen their prospects of securing support.

Margje de Koning | Festival Strategies and Engagement with European Broadcasters

Margje de Koning is a Dutch producer, documentary filmmaker and film programming expert who serves as Managing Director of Movies that Matter. She previously held the position of Artistic Director of the Movies that Matter Festival, a role she took on in 2019.

She has worked in documentary programming and commissioning at the Dutch broadcasters IKON and EO, and studied at the University of Amsterdam. She has also participated in juries and project pitching sessions at international film festivals, and is a member of the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

Through the mentorship programme, de Koning will share her expertise in developing international festival strategies, identifying suitable platforms for film screenings, engaging with European broadcasters and building professional relationships that can expand films’ reach and open up new markets and audiences.

About the Cairo Film Connection Mentorship Programme

The Cairo Film Connection Mentorship Programme is a new initiative introduced during the 12th edition of Cairo Film Connection. It aims to provide selected film projects with specialised professional support that goes beyond conventional industry meetings, fostering ongoing relationships between filmmakers and participating mentors.

Structured in several intensive stages, the programme begins before the festival, continues during its activities and extends beyond its conclusion. This approach allows participants to develop their projects and benefit from professional guidance at different stages of the filmmaking process.

The initiative is part of a broader plan to develop Cairo Film Connection into a year-round platform, with additional specialised industry activities and programmes to be announced in due course. The aim is to maintain closer engagement with filmmakers, respond to their evolving needs and support their professional development.

The programme also complements the initiatives offered by Cairo Industry Days, which seeks to connect Arab filmmaking talent with international expertise and create new opportunities for collaboration, co-production and knowledge exchange across the film industry.

About Cairo Film Connection

Cairo Film Connection (CFC) is one of the principal industry platforms within Cairo Industry Days. It supports Arab film projects in development and post-production by connecting filmmakers with producers, distributors, funding bodies and international film institutions, strengthening opportunities for co-production and helping films reach markets and audiences.

CFC continues to discover emerging filmmaking talent and support promising creative voices through professional meetings, awards and support opportunities provided by partner institutions and organisations, contributing to the development of Arab cinema and strengthening its international presence.

About Cairo International Film Festival

The Cairo International Film Festival is held annually under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. This year, the festival marks 50 years since its inaugural edition in 1976. One of the oldest and most prestigious film festivals in the Arab world and Africa, CIFF is officially accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) and continues to serve as an international platform for cultural exchange and the celebration of cinema.

We Speak Country

Darius Rucker Tells His Own Story in They Called Me Hootie, Premiering November 16 on Hulu

Published

3 hours ago

November 10, 2026

We Speak Media

Darius Rucker. Photo via Darius Rucker on Instagram.

He fronted one of the biggest bands in America, then started over and conquered country radio. A new feature documentary follows Darius Rucker from Charleston to superstardom, in his own words and with the people who were there.

For more than four decades, Darius Rucker has defied expectations, rising to fame as a member of two-time Grammy Award-winning Hootie & the Blowfish before forging a groundbreaking career in country music that earned him another Grammy as a soloist. The new feature-length documentary “Darius Rucker: They Called Me Hootie” explores the triumphs and hardships that shaped Rucker’s life, from his childhood in Charleston, South Carolina, to music superstardom around the globe. The documentary, executive produced by “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts and directed by Emmy®-winner Jason Bergh, premieres Monday, Nov. 16, on Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ in select international markets.

Rucker gets deeply personal about the cost of stardom, revealing his struggles with drugs and alcohol, the breakdown of his marriage and brushes with death. Through candid interviews with collaborators, friends and family, new footage from the road and in the studio as he records his forthcoming album and never-before-seen tape dating back to the start of Hootie & the Blowfish, the film traces the full journey of his extraordinary career, revealing a deeply personal story of ambition, resilience and reinvention.

“When I look back on my life and career, I never could have imagined the road I’d take or where it would lead me,” reflects Rucker. “I’ve had opportunities beyond anything I dreamed of, but there have also been times when I had to take a chance, bet on myself and trust that I could do things my own way. But I’ve never walked that road alone. The love and support of my family, my road family and the people I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside have been at the heart of everything we’ve accomplished. With ‘They Called Me Hootie,’ I get to reflect on that journey, the people and experiences that shaped me, and share a side of my story that people may not know.”

“I crossed paths with Darius 30 years ago, when I was with ESPN and Hootie & the Blowfish first appeared on ‘College GameDay,'” said Roberts. “I’ve enjoyed following and covering his career ever since, but I’ve never seen Darius quite like this. This documentary reveals a side of Darius that is raw, vulnerable and unexpected. It’s a deeply personal story, and I think audiences will be surprised by what they discover about this exceptionally talented man.”

Sharing their personal stories are those who have known and worked with Rucker throughout his career, including actor Woody Harrelson; Hootie & the Blowfish bandmates Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, Mark Bryan and Dean Felber; country music stars Brad Paisley and Lady A; former manager Doc McGhee; and record producer Frank Rogers, among others. Their stories offer a revealing portrait of the man behind the music.

“Darius Rucker: They Called Me Hootie” is produced by ITV America Nashville for ABC News Studios. Directed and executive produced by Jason Bergh and executive produced by Adam Reed and Sarah Howell for ITV America Nashville. Robin Roberts serves as executive producer. For ABC News Studios, David Sloan is the senior executive producer, and Katie Conway is executive producer.

About Darius Rucker

Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the Grammy Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide, including their Double Diamond-certified (22x Platinum) debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Country chart plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits. Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012, and he won his third career Grammy Award in 2014 for Best Solo Country Performance with his Diamond-certified (11x Platinum) version of “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time and one of the few Country songs to amass over a billion streams on Spotify. His new single “I Believe” is available everywhere now, following his 2023 album Carolyn’s Boy plus his New York Times bestselling memoir “Life’s Too Short,” released via Dey Street in 2024.

For more information, visit www.dariusrucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.

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Cairo Film Connection Unveils Five Mentor Tracks to Guide Filmmakers Beyond the Festival

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