Zayed Siddiki is a multi-award-winning Bangladeshi new generation independent filmmaker based in Dhaka; an alumna of TV, Film and Photography, University of Dhaka.His decade long work in Development communications strongly influenced his thematic choice in filmmaking; steering him toward Neo-Realism rooted in grassroots narratives. Zayed has directed 9 short and mid-length films, over 25 development and impact documentaries, TV fiction, and contributed to numerous projects in roles like screenwriting and creative producing.
His films have been officially selected at over 50 International film festivals across 5 continents, including major regionally important film festivals like Kazan, Kolkata, Kerala, Mumbai, Delhi, Dhaka etc. and won numerous accolades; His latest short Raven (2023) has been officially selected to 16 international film festivals, winning Best Film Award at 6th Hill Film Festival and a Special Jury Award at 10th International Film Festival of Shimla. It also received critical acclaim in 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, Australia; 13th International Film Festival of South Asia Toronto, Canada; 13th DC South Asian Film Festival, USA; 19th Kazan International Film Festival, Russia; 14th South Asian Film Festival of Montreal, Canada; 12th Indo-German Film Week, Germany; 10th Toulouse Indian Film Festival, France etc. His short documentary In Expedition to Happiness (2022) won Best Film at Bangladesh National Academy for Fine & Performing Arts festival in 2022 and screened at 6 international film festivals; His student short Tale of an Ecliptic Time (2018) won 3 awards, including Jury Award at Peace Film Festival Bangladesh in 2019, screened at 15 international film festivals, and is available at Asia-Pacific social issue films curating platform Cinemata. Another notable student short Colourkite (2015), won 7 awards including People's Choice Award at Asian University for Women Film Festival, 2017, and Special Mention at International Inter-University Short Film Festival in 2015; it's screened in 22 international film festivals; and available in Viddsee, a Singapore based video entertainment platform.
As a committed social impact filmmaker, his human rights-focused films-Delta of Despair (2024), Big Techs, Big Demons? (2024), and Shrinking Civic Space in Bangladesh (2021) have been widely showcased and critically acclaimed at human rights forums, conferences, and rights networks across Asia Pacific and Europe. He's developing his first feature project "Necrophile", a blended genre film inspired by a true event; which was among 10 selected South Asian projects at West Meets East South Asian Screenplay Lab at Dhaka International Film Festival in 2023.
