Ahmed Essam is an Egyptian filmmaker who has been directing short films since 2015. His creative work gained recognition when he received a production grant from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina for his short film Living Asleep, Dying Standing (2015). He honed his practice under the mentorship of Ethiopian-American director Haile Gerima. His latest work, The Last Rabbi, features actor Kamel El Basha, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his role in The Insult at the 74th Venice Film Festival.