Bassam Jarbawi is a Palestinian filmmaker who holds a B.A. in Communication and Political Science ‎from Macalester College, and an M.F.A. in Screenwriting and Directing from Columbia University in New ‎York. Bassam was a photographer during the second Palestinian Intifada. With many photography ‎work under his belt, Bassam held many exhibits and presented his first documentary Frequency (2004). In 2009, his short film ‎Chicken Heads (2009) premiered at the New York Film Festival and won several awards at ‎Aspen Shortsfest, Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), Columbia University Film Festival, Mexico International Film Festival and ‎National Board of Review (USA). MAFAK (Screwdriver) is Jabrawi's first feature film.