Saim Sadiq
{{Short description|Pakistani director}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Saim Sadiq
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1991}}
| birth_place = Lahore, Pakistan
| education = Lahore University of Management Sciences (BSc)
Columbia University School of the Arts (MFA)
| alma_mater =
| occupation = {{hlist|Director|Screenwriter}}
| years_active =
| known_for =
| father =
| relatives =
| awards =
}}
Saim Sadiq is a Pakistani screenwriter and director who won the Jury Prize of the Un Certain Regard section at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for directing the drama film Joyland, the first Pakistani film to be selected in Cannes.{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Sheena |title=Un Certain Regard Winners: Cannes Film Festival 2022 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheenascott/2022/05/28/un-certain-regard-winners-cannes-film-festival-2022/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2022-05-22 |title=Cannes Title 'Joyland' Celebrates Pakistan's Transgender Culture |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/joyland-pakistan-transgender-cannes-1235273919/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Joyland also won the Queer Palm award during its world premiere at Cannes.
Biography
Sadiq grew up in what he describes as a "middle-class, conservative family" in Rawalpindi. He attended St Mary's Academy in Lalazar, Rawalpindi. He graduated with a BSc with honors in anthropology from the Lahore University of Management Sciences in 2014. He obtained his MFA in Screenwriting and Directing from the Columbia University School of the Arts in 2019.{{Cite web |title=Columbia Filmmakers Screen at Cannes 2022: 'Joyland' Takes Home Jury Prize |url=https://arts.columbia.edu/news/columbia-filmmakers-screen-cannes-2022-joyland-takes-home-jury-prize |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Columbia - School of the Arts |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Rizvi |first=Sumaenah |date=2015-08-26 |title=These 7 Young LUMS Grads Are Taking Pakistan To The Next Level |url=https://www.parhlo.com/these-7-young-lums-grads-are-taking-pakistan-to-the-next-level/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Parhlo |language=en-US}}
His first short, Nice Talking To You, was an official selection at SXSW 2019, Palm Springs 2019,{{Cite web |title=Nice Talking to You {{!}} Palm Springs International Film Festival |url=https://www.psfilmfest.org/2019-shortfest-archive/2019-shortfest-film-archive/nice-talking-to-you |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=www.psfilmfest.org}} and was a BAFTA Shortlist for Best Student Film.{{Cite web |title=Current Students Gauri Adelkar and Saim Sadiq Shortlisted for 2019 BAFTA Student Film Awards |url=https://arts.columbia.edu/news/current-students-gauri-adelkar-and-saim-sadiq-shortlisted-2019-bafta-student-film-awards |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Columbia - School of the Arts |language=en}} He also won Vimeo's Best Director award at Columbia University Film Festival along with the Kodak Gold Award.{{Cite web |title=Saim Sadiq |url=https://www.filmindependent.org/talent/saim-sadiq/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Film Independent |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Nice Talking To You |url=https://www.cufilmfest.arts.columbia.edu/2018-films/nice-talking-to-you |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Columbia University Film Festival |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2019-09-09 |title=Saim Sadiq's 'Darling' takes Best Short Film Award at Venice Film Festival |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2052712/saim-sadiqs-darling-takes-best-short-film-award-venice-film-festival |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}
For his Columbia film school thesis, he explored the world of trans dancers in the short Darling, which won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film in the 76th Venice International Film Festival.{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Silvia |title=Director Saim Sadiq on tackling taboos in 'Joyland', the first Pakistani film ever in Cannes' official selection |url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/director-saim-sadiq-on-tackling-taboos-in-joyland-the-first-pakistani-film-ever-in-cannes-official-selection/5170966.article |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Screen |language=en}}{{Cite web |title='Darling' by Columbia Filmmakers Wins Best Short at Venice Film Festival |url=https://arts.columbia.edu/news/darling-columbia-filmmakers-wins-best-short-venice-film-festival |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Columbia - School of the Arts |language=en}} It was also the first Pakistani film to screen and win an award at the Venice Film Festival and received special jury mention at SXSW and was an official selection at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival before being acquired by Focus Features.
Sadiq has said that his filmmaking has been inspired by his family, and by his discovery of a theater community in Lahore that is only a 10-minute ride from his childhood home.