When I hear the words 'activist filmmaking,' I think of somebody who's an activist, who wants to prove a particular point.

It's incredible to see the creativity, beauty and hardships people capture when filmmaking is opened up and shared with the world.

I'll continue making films because I love being able to drop into other people's worlds. My goal is to be constantly learning.

I'm interested in characters that are complex people.

In making films, I'm constantly looking for people who are in conflict and who are going to surprise you and challenge you.

It's important in any project to remain focused.

I have actually been very fortunate to be able to make films on my own credit card without having huge funders behind me dictating how the story should be told.

You know, Arabs are critical of United States foreign policy, but they also associate the U.S. with democratic principles and opportunity.

Al Jazeera is demonized by the United States, yet in Egypt my father would be watching it.

I've discovered I can't make a film about people I dislike.

Al Jazeera is one entity that everyone across the Arab world watches. Arabs are proud of that.

Privileged people can fall into the trap of universalizing experiences and laying them across other people’s experiences as an interpretive lens.

Responsibilities fall heaviest on those willing to take the load.

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I'm the git in the family.

It is still an open question, however, as to what extent exposure really injures a performer.

I think passion gives you the energy to do what is right, and discipline makes sure you do what is right. So I look at them as kind of cousins maybe.

I'm in love with boxing. It fell into my lap and I have been in love with it ever since.

Study the science of art and the art of science.

My closet is full of sad little scripts that didn't get made that have sad endings. It's very hard to get a movie made that has a sad ending.

I think that one of the strangest things about being an actor is, it's almost freelance work.