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.

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.

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

As the world is getting smaller, it becomes more and more important that we learn each other's dance moves, that we meet each other, we get to know each other, we are able to figure out a way to cross borders, to understand each other, to understand people's hopes and dreams, what makes them laugh and cry.

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

It's important in any project to remain focused.

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