MEIFF features discussion panel on challenging Muslim stereotypes in Hollywood

Notes and media contacts

Moderator biog: Cynthia P. Schneider:

Cynthia P. Schneider teaches, publishes, and organises initiatives in the field of cultural diplomacy, with a focus on relations with the Muslim world. She received her B.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. For the Brookings Institution she leads the Arts and Culture Initiative within the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. She teaches courses in Diplomacy and Culture at Georgetown University, where, from 1984-2005, she was a member of the art history faculty, and published on Rembrandt and seventeenth century Dutch art. From 1998-2001 she served as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. During the 1980s Dr. Schneider curated exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Gallery in Washington. She serves on the Boards of Directors of Wesley Theological Seminary and the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy.

- Panelist biogs

Kerem Bayrak:

After graduating from the London International Film School in 1998, Bayrak worked as a story editor for New Line Cinema/ Fine Line Features, London, where he took up several projects including The Sleeping Dictionary, Ripley's Game and Dancer in the Dark. He moved to in NYC in 2001 where became consultant for Cinetic Media. In NYC he worked on numerous award winning features and documentaries including Napolean Dynamite, Super Size Me, and Before Sunrise before moving back to London in 2004 to take up the position of business affairs executive at Artists Independent Films. Bayrak currently works for Zefram Productions Ltd as research executive and writes as a freelance reporter for IndieWire.

Abdullah Bjad Al Oteibi:

Born in 1971 in Saudi Arabia, Al Oteibi is a researcher and writer, focusing on issues relating to political Islam and terrorism. He published several articles and studies in leading Arab magazines and newspapers including Al Hayat newspaper. Currently, he works as a consultant in MBC group and as a general supervisor on the show Death Industry on Al Arabiya channel. He is also the General Manager of Al Mesbar Studies and Research Center in Dubai and writes articles for the Saudi journal "Al Reyadh", the Emirati newspaper Al Itihad and Fawasel magazine.

Kamran Pasha:

Kamran Pasha is a writer and producer for acclaimed TV series including NBC's Kings and Bionic Woman, and Showtime Network's Sleeper Cell. An expert on the Middle East, he is one of the few successful Muslim screenwriters in Hollywood. In 2003, he set up his first feature script Taj Mahal at Warner Brothers. He is currently writing an epic film entitled The Voyage of Ibn Batutta. Pasha will soon publish two novels, Mother of the Believers, and Shadow of the Swords. Pasha holds a JD from Cornell Law School, an MBA from Dartmouth and an MFA from UCLA Film School. He worked as a journalist in New York City for three years, and interviewed prominent figures including Shimon Peres and Benazir Bhutto.

Chip Johannessen:

Chip began writing series television on Beverly Hills, 90210 and went on to become a contributor to the X-Files and Executive Producer on Millennium. Prior to the 2007-08 Writers Guild strike he was Executive Producer of Moonlight, with producer Joel Silver. This year he returned to Fox's real time drama 24 as a Consulting Producer. Before working in TV, Chip was a guitarist in New York City and wrote for the Harvard Lampoon.

Pelin Turgut:

Pelin Turgut writes about Turkey for publications like TIME magazine and The Independent on a variety of political and cultural issues. She is also co-founder of the !f Istanbul International Independent Film Festival, the region's premier festival dedicated to cutting-edge local and international independent cinema, which celebrates its eighth edition in February 2009. The festival is attended by some 70,000 people and hosts leading filmmakers, actors and producers from around the world. Turgut holds a BA from Bryn Mawr College. She lives in Istanbul, Turkey.

For further information, kindly contact:

Press Office
Middle East International Film Festival
P.O. Box 127662 Abu Dhabi, UAE
Tel: +971 50 610 4651