the team

The Arab Cinema Weekend has been programmed and organized by Mona Tayera-Deeley, Ali Jaafar and Lubna Hammoud-Seago at Zenith Foundation.

Mona Tayara-Deeley
Mona is director of Zenith Foundation. She has organised and curated the Arab Film Season at the National Film Theatre in London in August 2004. She is organiser and commissioning editor of the Arab Art Workshop held at the Barbican Art Centre in London in June 2004, and the editor of a related publication. She has overall responsibility for The Arab City Exhibition. She is also responsible for generating proposals for television programmes and for getting them into production. Mona has over 7 years experience in the media business including her work at BBC Worldwide in the last 5 years.

Ali Jaafar
Ali Jaafar is Zenith Foundation's Head of Press. In addition to his role with Zenith, Ali is also the Middle East films programme advisor to the London Film Festival, as well as Variety's MidEast Correspondent. He is also a staff writer with Sight & Sound magazine, as well as a regular contributor to the Daily Star in Lebanon and Bidoun magazine. Ali worked extensively on Zenith Foundation's month-long Arab cinema season held at the National Film Theatre in August 2004 and was the international media officer for the inaugural 2004 Ramallah International Film Festival.

Lubna Hammoud-Seago
Lubna is an online communication, design and marketing specialist, she has extensive experience working in both the public and private sectors. She is currently working as a marketing and design manager and consultant for the voluntary and not-for-profit sectors including Greater London Volunteering and Hammersmith and Fulham Volunteer Centre. She is working on a number of projects for Zenith including The Arab City Exhibition and the BAFTA Arab Cinema Weekend 2006. Her client list includes; Sotheby’s Institute, Transport for London, London’s Transport Museum, Ford Automotive Company, and Save the Children.