Michel Franco is an award-winning filmmaker who was born in 1979 in Mexico City. The films he has written, directed, and produced have helped put Mexican cinema in the global spotlight. His most recent feature film, DREAMS, premiered at Berlinale 2025 and stars Academy Award®- winner Jessica Chastain, Isaac Hernández and Rupert Friend. His other films include MEMORY, starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film FesXval; SUNDOWN, starring Tim Roth and Charlotte Gainsbourg (in CompeXXon, Venice Film FesXval 2021), NEW ORDER (Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, CompeXXon, Venice Film FesXval 2020), APRIL'S DAUGHTER (Special Jury Prize, Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film FesXval 2017), CHRONIC, starring Tim Roth (Best Screenplay, CompeXXon, Cannes Film FesXval 2015), and AFTER LUCIA (Prize Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film FesXval 2012). He has also produced films under his Teorema banner including Lorenzo Vigas’ DESDE ALLÁ (Golden Lion, CompeXXon, Venice Film FesXval 2015), David Zonana’s two first features MANO DE OBRA (Official SelecXon, Toronto InternaXonal Film FesXval 2019) and HEROIC (Official SelecXon, Sundance Film FesXval 2023).

Screenwriter-director born and raised in Ein Mahel, a village near Nazareth, Palestine. Graduated summa cum laude from the Sam Spiegel Film & Television School in 2019. Habib Allah holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan. In 2018, he created the ARCHETIVE STUDIO for architectural projects. He leads weekly architecture & photography workshops with youth, teaching them to be creative thinkers in space. Habib Allah’s award-winning films portray Palestinian life in the West Bank and Israel in both documentary and fiction. He is currently developing his first feature-length film, which was selected for the Locarno Film Festival and the Asia Pacific Screen Lab's immersive development programme. Since 2021, Habib Allah has been a lecturer of screenwriting, directing and editing at Sam Spiegel’s Study programs in Arabic.

Screenwriter-director and film studies scholar at the Hebrew University who graduated summa cum laude from the Sam Spiegel Film & Television School in 2009. Freidenberg is a lecturer of International Cinema and the Head of Study Programs in Arabic at Sam Spiegel, which operates film training and education for youth and adults in Palestinian cities and refugee camps. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in linguistics and is currently completing his PhD at the Department of Italian and French Studies. His research focuses on film language, targeting the linkage between historical linguistics, trauma and the development of cinematographic theories in European thought. In 2016, he founded the Jerusalem Filmmakers Guild (NGO) to represent Jerusalem-based filmmakers, including Palestinians from East Jerusalem. In 2019, he co-founded the Jerusalem International Women's Film Festival. Benjamin previously worked as a content writer and researcher for the Jerusalem Cinematheque Film Archives and Harvard University Images Collections.

Omri Marcus is an experienced content creator and creative director who specializes in harnessing the powers of groundbreaking technology. Tasked with leading Gitam-BBDO, the largest media conglomerate in Israel, into the era of artificial intelligence, Omri manages multifaceted projects that span creativity, technology, business, and strategy. Following the events of October 7th, Omri was also tasked with overseeing the company's Creative War Room, producing a wide array of videos and images aimed at conveying Israel's perspective to specific audiences.

Marcus has extensive experience in all aspects of content creation, from developing a popular dating show in China, through creating innovative mobile apps in India to leading a successful political campaign in Israel. With over 20 years of experience generating award-winning content worldwide, Omri thrives on driving new ideas from concept to launch and seeing them through high growth to meet business objectives. During his time in a multi-year development contract with Red-Arrow Entertainment and in his work as creative director at companies such as Viacom and Screenz, Omri delivered content that pushed boundaries while still meeting audience engagement, retention, and market share KPIs.

As a comedy writer, Omri has earned three Israeli TV Academy awards for his work as part of the writing staff of "Eretz Nehederet" (What a Wonderful Country), one of Israel's most successful comedy shows. Omri is the founder of Comedy for a Change - an international community of comedy writers dedicated to leveraging the power of comedy for driving social change. He also received a distinguished grant from Europe’s Format Academy for Entertainment, Television & New Media (EMC), an accolade reserved for those shaping the future of media. Omri also contributes to various publications, sharing his insights on technology, content, and contemporary issues.