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

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

Traveling around the world during the World Cup in 2006, I was thinking, 'Wow, this is such an incredible and global event.'

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

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

There are these very poor communities on the outskirts of Cairo called Mokattam, where a lot of the garbage collectors live. I used to volunteer there, doing health and education work when I was younger and living in Egypt.

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