Mahdi studied film at the University of Wales, graduating in 2003. His first short 'Shadi in the Beautiful Well', set in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon where he spent his childhood years, won numerous international prizes. In 2006 Mahdi completed an MA in writing at Royal Holloway, London. In 2009, he graduated from the National Film and Television School, where he wrote, directed and acted in comedies - most notably 'Arafat & I'. The film was screened in competition in more than 20 international festivals and won awards in Italy, Houston, Romania and the Czech Republic. Mahdi is currently completing his first feature film.


Country of origin: Palestine
The documentary will explore the way in which the World Cup interacts with daily life in the refugee camp of Ain El Helweh. It will look at how the event is able to transform people and their situation,
and in doing so will attempt to understand what ideas such as home, community, victory, and hope mean to those in exile. The film will be made up of separate stories, narrated by the director as he witnesses the events of the World Cup at the camp, and interacts with its residents.