Omar El Zohairy studied film directing at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo. Zohairy’s first short film, Zafir, premiered at the 2011 Dubai International Film Festival and won the Muhr Special Jury Prize for Short Films. His second short film, The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometre 375, was the first Egyptian film to be selected for the Cinéfondation competition at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. The film went on to win several awards around the world.