Shamim Sarif

Shamim Sarif (born 24 September 1969) is a British novelist, screenwriter, and film director of South Asian and South African heritage. Sarif is best known for her work in writing and directing films with themes that often explore issues of identity and cultural diversity.

Shamim Sarif
Born (1969-09-24) 24 September 1969
London, England, United Kingdom
Occupation(s)Novelist, film director, screenwriter
Spouse
Hanan Kattan
​
(m. 2015)​
Children2
Websitehttps://www.shamimsarif.com/

Early life and education

Sarif was born in London to Indian parents who had emigrated from South Africa in the early 1960s to escape apartheid.[1][2] She studied English literature at Royal Holloway, University of London and later completed a Master's degree in English at Boston University.[1]

Career

Sarif's work has received critical acclaim for its portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships and its exploration of the complexities of love and identity. She is known for her contributions to both literature and film, especially within the context of LGBTQ+ storytelling.

Sarif's debut novel, The World Unseen (2008), won a Betty Trask Award and the Pendleton May First Novel Award. The novel explores issues of race, gender and sexuality and was heavily inspired by the stories of Sarif's grandmother and her Indian and South African heritage.[3]

Sarif has adapted and directed the films of three of her novels including The World Unseen (2001), which was selected for TIFF, I Can't Think Straight (2008), and Despite the Falling Snow (2016).

Her 2011 film The House of Tomorrow is a documentary about the 2010 TEDx Holy Land Conference, which brought together Arab and Israeli women to discuss issues of mutual interest in technology, entertainment, and design.[4]

Her latest books, The Athena Protocol (2019) and The Shadow Mission (The Athena Protocol #2) (2020), represent a departure from her more familiar themes of romance and LGBTQ+ relationships, as it falls into the action-adventure and espionage genre.

Personal life

Identifying as having Muslim roots, Sarif is openly lesbian, and she has mentioned that her work on I Can't Think Straight is semi-autobiographical in nature.[2][5]

On 23 September 2015, she celebrated her marriage to producer Hanan Kattan in London, marking nearly two decades of being together.[6]

Filmography
Year Title Director Writer Notes
2007 The World Unseen Yes Yes Feature films
Based on Sarif's novel
2008 I Can't Think Straight Yes Yes
2011 The House of Tomorrow Yes Yes Documentary film
2016 Despite the Falling Snow Yes Yes Feature film
Also based on Sarif's novel
2020 Murdoch Mysteries Yes No TV series
Episode "Rigid Silence"
2021 A Woman on Fire Yes No TV film
Diggstown Yes No TV series
Episode "Christian Spry"
2022 SkyMed Yes No TV series
Directed 2 episodes
2023 Polarized Yes Yes Feature film
Also producer

Bibliography
  • The World Unseen (2008)
  • Despite the Falling Snow (2004)
  • I Can't Think Straight (2008)
  • The Athena Control (2019)
  • The Shadow Mission (The Athena Protocol #2) (2020)

See also
  • List of Indian women film directors
  • List of Indian women screenwriters
  • List of female film and television directors
  • List of lesbian filmmakers
  • List of LGBT-related films directed by women

References
  1. "Just another British, Indian, Muslim, Arab, Christian lesbian romantic comedy". Evening Standard. 12 April 2012.
  2. Rachael Scott, "Having a gay old time: Novelist turned film-maker Shamim Sarif has two films, both based on her books, coming out tomorrow. She tells Rachael Scott how this one-two punch came about." The Guardian, 2 April 2009.
  3. Coleman, Bianca (13 February 2009). "Novel start leads to the reel world: ENT". Cape Times. ProQuest 430701497.
  4. Billy Cox, "'House of Tomorrow' infused with excitement and optimism" Archived 8 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 16 April 2012.
  5. Hoggard, Liz (April 2009). "She is an Arab Christian, her lover a Muslim. They challenged every prejudice and almost tore their wealthy London families apart. Then they made a film of their love story". Evening Standard. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  6. Shamim Sarif (23 September 2015). "We just got married!". Facebook.

Further reading
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