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

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

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

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

I used to do volunteer work in poor areas of Cairo, and people would gather their money together to get a satellite dish. You'd see them huddling around and for the first time seeing issues being debated on TV that had never been talked about before. And that is the biggest promoter of democracy you could possibly have.

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

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