As a documentary filmmaker and nonprofit co-founder, Colette Ghunim’s soul purpose is to use the power of film
and storytelling for those oppressed around the world to be seen, to be heard, and to heal. Her first documentary,
The People’s Girls (2016), received over 2 million views and won Best Short Documentary at the Arab Film Festival
for its bold spotlight on street harassment in Egypt. In co-production with Kartemquin Films and funded by Latino
Public Broadcasting, she is directing Traces of Home, her first feature-length film documenting her inner quest to

find home through unearthing her parent’s forced migrations from Mexico and Palestine. Colette is also the co-
founder of Mezcla Media Collective, a nonprofit organization aimed to cultivate a thriving landscape for over 700

women and non-binary filmmakers of color in Chicago. Her work has been highlighted on international outlets such
as Huffington Post, Al Jazeera, Univision, and TEDx. Colette was selected as a 2023 Obama Foundation USA
Leader, 2024 Sundance x ISF Fellow, and was featured on Arab America’s “30 Under 30” list.