Case Study: My Father’s Scent
Monday 13 April, 12:00-12:45, Scandic Hotel, 3rd floor, Learning 1A case study on the Egyptian feature film My Father’s Scent by director Mohamed Siam, winner of the MAFF Industry Days Development Fund for Feature Film Projects in 2022.
The film unfolds over a tense night in which a father and son are forced to confront their memories, grievances, and perceptions of one another in a desperate attempt to settle old scores and mend what time has broken.
From the initial idea to financing, production, and international co-productions, particularly with Sweden, the conversation will trace the film’s development process, the challenges encountered along the way, and its path following its premiere.
Director Mohamed Siam will be joined by two of the film’s co-producers: Fady Atallah (Sweden) and Brandy Miller (Belgium), who will share insights into the collaborative process behind bringing the project to the screen.
Director
Mohamad Siam
Siam is a filmmaker and producer of narrative and documentary cinema. A member of both the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
His debut Whose Country? premiered at the New York Film Festival, followed by Amal, which opened IDFA and won awards at Sheffield and over 100 festivals.
His narrative debut My Father’s Scent won five prizes at Venice Final Cut 2024. It has also won Audience Award at Red Sea 2025 and Cinemamed Grand Prize & Cineuropa Award 2025
He co-produced SINK (Toronto 2025), participated in My Father and Qaddafi (Venezia 2025) and was an executive producer on Chronicles From The Siege (Berlinale 2026).
He is currently developing two feature films: Waiting for Paradise and Carnival selected at Cannes Cinéfondation L’Atelier.
His cinematography includes The Trials of the Spring, The Path, and Diaries from Lebanon (Berlinale 2024). A frequent juror, mentor, and lecturer, Siam has received fellowships from Sundance, MacDowell, Netflix, and the Mellon Foundation
Co Producer
Fady Atallah
Fady Gamal Atallah (b. February 7, 1983, Cairo) is an award-winning Egyptian/Swedish director, screenwriter, and producer. Trained originally as an engineer, he transitioned into cinema after studying at Stockholm Film School and earning an MA in Screenwriting from Raindance Film School, UK. He is currently completing a PhD in Audio-Visual Film Studies at the University of Birmingham.
Atallah’s work explores themes of migration, identity, and belonging, often blending personal stories with historical and cultural reflection. His films have screened at leading platforms including the Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) and have won development awards supported by the Swedish Film Institute, Doha Film Institute, and international co-production markets.
As both filmmaker and producer, Atallah’s trajectory spans shorts, features, and animation, with an emerging slate of international co-productions bridging Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.
Co Producer
Brandy Miller
Brandy Miller is an emerging producer working across European feature film and international co-productions. She served as Junior Producer on MY FATHER’S SCENT (2025) and is Associate Producer on WAITING FOR PARADISE, contributing to the development and production of character-driven, internationally positioned projects.
She is the founder of Eurava Media & Production, a Brussels-based company specializing in creative audiovisual development, media strategy, and high-level event production at the intersection of culture, policy, and European affairs. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in German, specializing in literature and film studies, and a Master’s degree in European Studies. She regularly moderates public discussions and works as an independent consultant. She is based in Brussels.
Moderator: Film Critic Petra Meterc
Petra Meterc is a film critic and journalist based in Slovenia. She produces shows about cinema and literature at Slovene national radio, while also being a contributing film critic at Ekran magazine for Film and Television and KINO! magazine. She is also a part of the programming board of a few film festivals in Slovenia. She is a Berlinale Talent Press and IFFR Trainee Project for Young Film Critics alumna.