Youssef Shazli is the co-founder and managing director of Zawya Cinema & Distribution. He first joined Misr International Films in 2013 as festival coordinator of the Panorama of the European Film. He launched Zawya Cinema in 2014 and Zawya Distribution; both initiatives aiming to make quality films more accessible. Aside from his work at Zawya, Youssef occasionally works as a music curator. He holds a BA in International Development Studies from McGill University.