An introduction to the podcast series, outlining various roles in the industry and the material, political and economic conditions that ground our current understanding of regional cinema as an institution. The podcast is free, but please consider subscribing to our Patreon on our website habibicollective.com Habibi Collective operates completely on a volunteer-led basis. This is not a sustainable model - but it is also vital that we stay independent. If you have enjoyed Habibi Collective in any capacity over the past four years, please consider donating, your contribution goes a very long way. Speaker bio: Róisín Tapponi is an Iraqi-Irish curator, film programmer, researcher and writer. She is the founder and programmer of Habibi Collective; Tapponi has curated six regional film festivals including Independent Iraqi Film Festival (IIFF) and Queer MENA Film Festival. She has curated screenings at international institutions such as Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF), and has lectured on cinema at many academic institutions, including Oxford University, Duke University, UC Berkeley and Northwestern University. She previously held a post at The Mosaic Rooms and is currently developing an independent streaming service, Shasha. Tapponi is currently a contributor at Frieze Magazine and has worked as a journalist for seven years, contributing to publications such as The Guardian, Vogue and i-D. She is also founder and editor of ART WORK Magazine, a critical art magazine for cultural workers operating on the margins.