Team
Nihal is a Palestinian food activist, curator and former assistant producer to Arab film festivals and emerging Palestinian directors. Her mission is to promote Nakba awareness through culinary events, and to continue elevating the PFFA by expanding platforms for Palestinian cinema. She lives in Amsterdam with her ginger cat Gabber.
Megan is an on-the-ground hard femme, and she is also a performance, film, and media historian, a curator, dramaturg, producer, editor, facilitator and a pedagogical dreamer. In the last years she has led, collaborated, and/or contributed to research projects, publications, and event productions with a range of institutions. Megan lives in Amsterdam, and she is a lecturer in the MA Performance Practices programme at ArtEZ University of the Arts, Arnhem, NL.
Words and narratives are the focus of Marta’s professional and artistic practices. She has worked with different cultural organisations in communications, editing, translation and editorial, audiovisual and event production in the Netherlands, Portugal and the UK. Marta has written on labour, dreams, futures, collectivities, rest and refusals for different publications. Most recently, she co-founded the publishing project Sleepy Press and continues to collaborate with friends on artistic projects.
Mary Ann is a Palestinian graphic designer working at the intersection of design, ceramics, and social innovation. She brings a layered perspective that draws from ancient Palestinian heritage, and contemporary resistance. Her work explores memory, place, and identity. She is co-founder of think tank “The Hummus Academy”, which focuses on decolonizing indigenous cuisines through authentic narratives.
Laura is an Amsterdam-based editor, experienced in both narrative and commercial work. She graduated with a BA in Audiovisual Media in 2017 and is an Associate Member of the Netherlands Association of Cinema Editors. Her passions include stories embracing cultural identities, kindness and good organisation. Laura also edits the PFFA’s festival trailer.
Karoline is a graphic designer based in Amsterdam, whose work has experimented with text, countercultural aesthetics, and fiction in design. She joins ventures with culturally involved initiatives and (non-)academic artists. Świeżyński graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and participated in the post-graduate program at the Jan van Eyck Academy. She is currently studying for an Archival and Information Studies MA at the University of Amsterdam.
Fatme is a Palestinian-Italian Media and Culture student actively engaged in Amsterdam's cultural scene. She has volunteered at various film festivals, including Bildrausch Basel in Switzerland, the Social World Film Festival in Italy, and IDFA here in Amsterdam. Currently, she is on the committee of UvA's student Film Club. Fatme is also part of PFFA’s Film Programme Selection Committee.
Alia is a Palestinian filmmaker and writer. She was the 2023 PFFA guest of honour with her documentary The Golden Harvest. Alia has worked as a screenwriter and script analyst in Los Angeles, co-founded the Zayed University Middle East Film Festival (ZUMEFF), now the longest running film festival in the Gulf, and is an Associate Professor of Film and Heritage at NYU Abu Dhabi. Alia is also part of PFFA’s Film Programme Selection Committee.
Nush is a British-Pakistani activist and actor who is passionate about film. They have participated in public readings for the Gaza Monologues at Pegasus Theatre in Oxford and are a member of the Oxford Ramallah Friendship Association (ORFA), which allowed them to visit Ramallah in 2022 for an international theatre festival organized by ASHTAR theatre.
Suzanne holds three passports: an American, a Dutch, and one that grants her unlimited access to the world’s most captivating stories—her camera. Specializing in reportage and on-location portrait photography, she has a sharp visual instinct and a deep appreciation for human stories. Based in Amsterdam, Suzanne regularly works for Adformatie, HSP Magazine, Amsta, the KNAW, GGZ NHN, and the University of Amsterdam. Suzanne is also an instructor at the Photo Academy Amsterdam.
Alba Noor is a Spanish-Palestinian-Belgian recent graduate with a BA in Humanities (Film Studies). Having spent most of her life in Madrid, film has represented a vital medium to reconnecting with Palestine by strengthening her sense of belonging and responsibility. Alba Noor aspires to create films that centre personal and intergenerational narratives through a decolonial lens, believing this approach to be key to uncovering the role of memory in shaping identity and collective consciousness.
Nadia is a Palestinian based in Amsterdam, experienced in project and events coordination. Passionate about Palestinian cinema and storytelling, she is dedicated to showcasing the rich and diverse aspects of Palestinian culture. As an activist, Nadia has worked on various social justice issues, striving to amplify marginalized voices and narratives.
Yara is Lebanese producer, costume supervisor and curator based in Amsterdam. She curated the Cinema al Fouad, Leiden Shorts and 7eme Lune light, and produced Fasco 2021 by Nicolas Khouri. Yara is also a film programmer and has moderated talks at prominent film festivals, including the 2024 PFFA and the “Retro Palestine” series.
Bastian is a History and Political Science student at the University of Amsterdam and an activist. He has been involved with different political organizations, through which he has organized events and facilitated panel discussions. Bastian believes film to be a medium for cultural exchange and political information and has recently hosted his first film screening with the UvAFilmclub.
