Under the title ‘Women at the Helm: Leadership and Decision-Making in the Region,’ the Arab Cinema Center, in collaboration with the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film, will host a panel discussion bringing together a distinguished group of female leaders shaping change in the industry. The event will take place on Friday, May 15th, from 2 to 3 pm at the Palais Stage.
Moderated by Michael Rosser (Asia & Middle East Editor at Screen International), the panel will spotlight the growing role of women in leading the audiovisual sector. The session will explore how women are contributing to shaping the industry’s strategic direction — from financing and production commissioning to distribution and platform strategies — while emphasizing the importance of inclusive leadership in building a more dynamic and globally connected film industry.
The panel will feature Samar Akrouk, CEO of MBC STUDIOS and General Manager of Production at MBC Group; Producer Rula Nasser, Founder of Imaginarium Films; Bavi Yassin, Founder and Chairperson of the Kurdistan Film Commission; Mayada Al Hiraki, Founder and Producer at The Storytellers; Jumana Sharbin, General Manager of Olivewood Studios; Baho Bakhsh, CEO and Producer at Red Star Films.
About Marché du Film
The Marché du Film, the business hub of the Festival de Cannes, is the world’s largest international gathering of film professionals. As a key step in the development, production, and distribution of films globally, the market brings together over 12,500 professionals (including producers, distributors, festival representatives, film institutions, buyers, and financiers) from more than 120 countries to exchange ideas, projects, and strike deals in a unique environment.
Website: www.marchedufilm.com
About Arab Cinema Center
Founded by MAD Solutions in 2015, the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) is a non-profit international platform promoting Arab cinema. Registered in Berlin, the ACC provides its partner companies with a tangible presence at all major film festivals and markets, organizes industry events, and publishes special editions of the Arab Cinema Magazine.
Website: http://acc.film/
