Born to Palestinian/Jordanian immigrant parents, award-winning filmmaker and television writer Cherien Dabis has been recognized by the industry's top organizations and trade publications. A 2004 graduate of Columbia University's Masters of Fine Arts Film program, Dabis' short films have screened at some of the world's top film festivals. Itmanna (Make A Wish) is also an official selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin as well as Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival. Most recently, Screen International listed her new project, Amreeka, as one of the "Ten Arab Films to Watch" in 2007.