SOCS-411-S007

Tarique Qayumi was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. He escaped Afghanistan with his mother on the back of a truck as a refugee when he was a child. He's part of this year's cohort for the Warner x Academy Directing Program and a mentor at the Whistler Film Festival Screenwriting Lab.

After completing his MFA in film at UCLA, TOLO TV, Afghanistan's largest TV station, approached Qayumi. He directed "Truth Unveiled," Afghanistan's first docudrama series; "The Defenders," a drama miniseries; and the Afghan version of "Sesame Street," seasons two and three. His first feature film, "Targeting," won Best Film at the Afghan Human Rights Festival in Kabul in 2015.

"Black Kite," a historical drama, his second feature, which he wrote, directed, edited, and cinematographed, premiered at TIFF in 2017, screened at 20 festivals worldwide and won three Leo Awards: Best Writer, Best Direction, and Best Picture. It was sold to Amazon Studios.

Currently, he has completed his third feature with financing from Telefilm entitled, "MÂDAR," which is on the festival circuit.