HISHAM ZAMAN
A film director, screenwriter, producer and founder of Snowfall Cinema AS, Hisham Zaman is known for his poignant, authentic and compelling cinema, which often takes the human stories and struggles of migrants and refugees as its driving theme. He is a graduate of the Norwegian Film School, where he completed his studies in film directing in 2004.
Zaman had his breakthrough in 2005 with the short film BAWKE, which received more than 40 awards around the world. In 2007, he directed the mid-length film WINTERLAND, a warm and humorous diaspora-story about a man settling in a godforsaken spot in Northern Norway.
Zaman’s debut feature, BEFORE SNOWFALL (2013), was shot in four different countries and won him the prestigious Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film. His second feature film, the ensemble piece LETTER TO THE KING (2014), once again received the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film, making Zaman the only director to have won the award two years in a row. It was also one of three films shortlisted for a nomination to the Oscar Awards by the Norwegian Oscar Committee.
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
HEDDA (2016), 43 min:
Festivals:
2017 The Norwegian Short Film Festival
2017 Duhok international film festival
THE BOY IN THE PICTURE (2016)- 11min
Festivals:
2017 Carthage international film festival
2017 Duhok international film festival
LETTER TO THE KING (2014), 75 min:
Festivals
2014 Göteborg International Film Festival
2014 TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2014 European Cinema Festival of Lecce
2014 Edinburgh International Film Festival
2014 ArtFilmFest International Film Festival
2014 Bergmanveckan
2014 Espoo Ciné International Film Festival
2014 Films by the Sea, Vlissingen
2014 Golden Rooster
2014 Sao Paulo International Film Festival
2014 San Marino International Film Festival
2014 The Northern Film Festival
2014 European Film Forum Scanorama
2014 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
2014 Antirasistiske filmdager i Malmö
2014 International Film Festival of India
2014 Sercavan Kurdish Film Days in Vienna
2014 Dubai International Film Festival
2015 Würzburg International Film Weekend
2015 Recontres du Cinema Europeen - Cinema Scandinave
2015 Pantalla Pinamar
2015 Minneapolis - St. Paul International Film Festival
2015 Transilvania International Film Festival
2015 Istanbul Modern art museum
2015 Duhok international Film Festival
2015 Paris Kurdish Film Festival
2015 Arabisches Film festival Tubingen
2015 London Kurdish Film festival
2015 Carthage Film Festival
2015 Cairo European Film Festival
2015 Les Arcs European Film Festival
Awards:
2014 Göteborg International Film Festival: Dragon Award Best Nordic Film
2014 European Cinema Festival of Lecce: FIPRESCI Award
2014 ArtFilmFest International Film Festival: Special Mention , The City of Trenčianske
Teplice Mayor´s Award
2014 National Film Award Amanda for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, to Ivan
Anderson,
2014 National Film Award Amanda for Best Screenplay
2014 San Marino International Film Festival: Best Film
2014 Nordic Film Days Lübeck: Honorable Mention
2014 The Northern Film Festival: Award for Special Contribution to Northern Cinema
2015 Duhok Film Festival Best Screenplay
2015 Duhok Film Festival Best film made in Diaspora.
BEFORE SNOWFALL (2013), 105 min:
Festivals
2013 TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2013 Göteborg International Film Festival
2013 CPH:PIX
2013 Seattle International Film Festival
2013 Edinburgh International Film Festival
2013 Midnight Sun Film Festival, Sodankylä
2013 ArtFilmFest International Film Festival
2013 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
2013 Traverse City Film Festival
2013 Espoo Ciné International Film Festival
2013 Göteborg Kulturkalas
2013 Saint Petersburg International FIlm Festival
2013 Batumi Film Festival
2013 Haifa International Film Festival
2013 Prishtina International Film Festival
2013 Duhok International Film festival
2013 Warsaw International Film Festival
2013 Philadelphia Film Festival
2013 Molodist - Kiev International Film Festival
2013 Abu Dhabi Film Festival
2013 International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
2013 Exile Film Festival
2013 London Kurdish Film Festival
2013 European Film Forum Scanorama
2013 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
2013 Chennai International Film Festival
2014 Scandinavian Film Festival Los Angeles
2014 Portland International Film Festival
2014 !f Istanbul
2014 Copenhagen Kurdish Film Festival
2014 Stockholm Kurdish Film Festival
2014 Belgrade International Film Festival
2014 International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights
2014 BUFF International Children and Young People's Film Festival
2014 Gli Anni in Tasca Youth and Cinema / International Film Festival for Young People
2014 Movies That Matter - Amnesty International Film Festival
2014 Minneapolis - St. Paul International Film Festival
2014 Beijing International Film Festival
2014 Senza Frontieri - Without Borders Film Festival
2014 Festroia International Film Festival
2014 Baltic Debuts, Kaliningrad
2014 Avvantura Film Festival Zader
2014 Films by the Sea, Vlissingen
2014 ANA Contemporary Arab Cinema
2014 Buster - Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth
2014 Sao Paulo International Film Festival
2014 New Middle East Cinema
2014 The Northern Film Festival
2014 Carthage Film Festival
Awards:
2013 Göteborg International Film Festival: Dragon Award Best Nordic Film
2013 Tribeca Film Festival: Best Cinematography in a Narrative Feature Film
2013 Batumi Film Festival: Grand Prix
2013 Prishtina International Film Festival: Golden Goddess - Best Film Main Competition
2013 Duhok International Film festival: Best Kurdish Actress to Suzan Ilir , Special Mention of the Jury, Duhok City Award
2013 Abu Dhabi Film Festival: Best Film from the Arab World
2013 International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg: Special Award of the Jury
2014 Festroia International Film Festival: Best First Film
2014 Baltic Debuts, Kaliningrad: Best Director
2014 The Northern Film Festival: Award for Special Contribution to Northern Cinema, Audience Award for Best Feature Film
2014 Carthage Film Festival: The Bronze Tanit for Feature Films, FIPRESCI Award, Best Actress to Suzan Ilir
THE OTHER ONES (2009), 18 min:
2009: The Norwegian Short Film Festival
2009: Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Festival, Reykjavik
2009: Abu Dhabi Film Festival
2010: Minimalen Short Film Festival
2010: Tampere Film Festival
2010: International Festival Signes de Nuit
2010: Røros kortfilmfestival
2010: Curtas Vila do Conde - International Film Festival
2010: Guanajuato International Film Festival
2010: OFF - Odense International Film Festival
2010: International Festival of Muslim Cinema - Golden Minbar
2010: Warsaw International Film Festival
2010: Encounters International Film Festival
2010: Leuven International Short Film Festival
2011: International Short Film Festival Mas Sorrer
2011:Kurdish Film Festival, Berlin
2012: Middle Eastern Film Festival Edinburgh
WINTERLAND (2007), 52 min:
Festivals:
2007 TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2007 Exile Film Festival
2007 International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
2007 Arab Film Festival, San Francisco
2007 Arab Film Festival Los Angeles
2007 Kolkata Film Festival
2007 Autrans International Mountain & Adventure Film Festival
2007 London Kurdish Film Festival
2008 Scandinavian Film Festival Los Angeles
2008 Febiofest - International Film Festival Prague
2008 Minneapolis - St. Paul International Film Festival
2008 Trento Film Festival
2008 Festroia International Film Festival
2008 Kurdish Film Festival, Berlin
2008 Manchester Kurdish Film Festival
2009 East End Film Festival
2009 New York Kurdish Film Festival
2011 Intersections Film Festival
2012 Middle Eastern Film Festival Edinburgh
2013 TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
Awards:
2007 National Film Award Amanda for Best Actor in a Leading Role, to Raouf Saraj
2007 Autrans International Mountain & Adventure Film Festival: Grand Prix José Giovanni
BAWKE (2005), 15 min:
Festivals:
2005 The Norwegian Short Film Festival
2005 The Norwegian International Film Festival, Haugesund
2005 Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Festival, Bergen
2005 Flanders International Film Festival Ghent
2005 Exile Film Festival
2005 Aarhus Film Festival
2005 Seville European Film Festival
2005 Brest European Short Film Festival
2005 Festival on Wheels
2006 Flickerfest International Short Film Festival
2006 TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2006 International Film Festival Rotterdam
2006 Göteborg International Film Festival
2006 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival
2006 BUFF International Children and Young People's Film Festival
2006 Minimalen Short Film Festival
2006 Human Rights Film Festival Donostia - San Sebastian
2006 International Festival Signes de Nuit
2006 Filmfest, Helsinki
2006 International Young Filmmakers Festival of Granada
2006 Aspen Shortsfest
2006 Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival
2006 Filmfest Dresden - International Short Film Festival 2006 Shadowline Salerno Film Festival
2006 International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
2006 Algarve International Film Festival
2006 La Cittadella del Corto - International Short Film Festival
2006 Transilvania International Film Festival
2006 Huesca International Film Festival
2006 SFF Worldwide Short Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
2006 Arcipelago - International Festival of Short Film and New Images
2006 Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove
2006 Capalbio Cinema International Short Film Festival
2006 Showcomotion Young People's Film Festival
2006 Jerusalem International Film Festival
2006 Curtas Vila do Conde - International Film Festival
2006 Filmfest München - Munich Film Festival
2006 Message to Man International Film Festival, St. Petersburg
2006 Melbourne International Film Festival
2006 Seoul International Youth Film Festival
2006 Festival Internacional de Cine para Niños (...y no tan Niños), Mexico City
2006 OFF - Odense International Film Festival
2006 Palm Springs International ShortsFest
2006 Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival
2006 Buster - Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth
2006 Goyang International Children's Film Festival
2006 Helsinki International Film Festival - Love & Anarchy
2006 Umeå International Film Festival
2006 Drama International Short Film Festival
2006 Mecal International Short Film Festival of Barcelona
2006 Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Festival, Aarhus
2006 Carrousel international du film de Rimouski
2006 International Best of Short Films Festival, La Ciotat
2006 Imago - International Young Film and Video Festival
2006 Cork International Film Festival
2006 Panorama of European Cinema
2006 Panorama of European Cinema, Cyprus
2006 Cineposible International Film Festival of Extremadura
2006 Milwaukee International Film Festival
2006 Festival du Cinéma International de Abitibi-Témiscamingue
2006 Amsterdam Cinema Arabe Festival
2006 Festival International de Cinéma du Grain à Dèmoudre
2006 Festival du Film Court de Villeurbanne
2006 MedFilm Festival, Rome
2006 Braunschweig International Film Festival
2006 Asiana International Short Film Festival
2006 Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People
2006 ExGround Filmfest
2006 Siena International Short Film Festival
2006 Encounters International Film Festival
2006 Kurdish Film Festival, Berlin
2006 Animateka International Animation Film Festival
2007 Regard sur le court métrage au Saguenay - Saguenay International Short Film Festival
2007 Boulder International Film Festival
2007 European Youth Film Festival of Flanders
2007 Sedona International Film Festival
2007 Very Short Movies Festival
2007 Tiburon International Film Festival
2007 Vilnius International Film Festival Kino Pavasaris
2007 Leeds Young People's Film Festival
2007 Sukagawa International Children's Film Festival
2007 Festroia International Film Festival
2007 Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia
2007 Mecal International Short Film Festival of Barcelona
2007 Les Films du Delta
2007 Abu Dhabi Film Festival
2007 Paris Kurdish Cinema
2007 The Golden Elephant - International Children's Film Festival India
2007 London Kurdish Film Festival
2008 Kurdish Film Festival, Berlin
2008 Manchester Kurdish Film Festival
2009 ISAFF Open Cinema - International Short and Animation Film Festival
2009 New York Kurdish Film Festival
2011 Aubagne International Film Festival
2010 Sprockets - Toronto International Film Festival for Children and Youth
2011 Dokufest - International Documentary and Short Film Festival, Prizren
2011 Intersections Film Festival
2011 Frankfurt Kurdish Film Festival
2012 Middle Eastern Film Festival Edinburgh
2013 TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2013 Stockholm Kurdish Film Festival
2013 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Special screening)
Awards:
2005 The Norwegian Short Film Festival: Audience Award
2005 The Norwegian Short Film Festival : Gullstolen - The Golden Chair Award for Best Short Film,
2005 The Norwegian Short Film Festival: Prix UIP Grimstad- Nominated for best European short film
2005 The Norwegian Short Film Festival: The Norwegian Film Workers Association's Technical Award, to Cinematographer Marius M. Gulbrandsen,
2005 The Norwegian Short Film Festival : The Writers Guild of Norway's Award for Best Screenplay: Timeglasset - The Hourglass
2005 Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Festival, Bergen: Canal+ Award, Special Mention, Short Films
2005 Brest European Short Film Festival: Mention Spécial du Jury Jeune, Mention of the Jury
2006 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival: Prix de la Jeunesse
2006 Human Rights Film Festival Donostia - San Sebastian: Youth Jury Award for Best Short Film
2006 Aspen Shortsfest: BAFTA/LA Award for Excellence, Special Jury Recognition for Outstanding Performance by a Child, to Broa Ako Rasol
2006 Shadowline Salerno Film Festival: The Young Jury Award for Best European Short
2006 Huesca International Film Festival: Special Mention
2006 SFF Worldwide Short Film Festival, Toronto, Canada: Best Live Action Short Film
2006 Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove : Silver Luna de Valencia
2006 Capalbio Cinema International Short Film Festival: Best Director
2006 Palm Springs International ShortsFest: Best of Festival Award
2006 Cineposible International Film Festival of Extremadura : Best Short Film
2006 Festival du Cinéma International de Abitibi-Témiscamingue : Télebéc Price
2006 Festival du Film Court de Villeurbanne: Best European Short Film
2006 MedFilm Festival, Rome: Premio Methexis
2006 Siena International Short Film Festival: Audience Award
2006 The Norwegian Ministry of Culture's Human Rights Award
2007 Sedona International Film Festival: Best Foreign Language Short Film
2007 Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia: Jupiter Television Award, Best Short Film
2007 Abu Dhabi Film Festival: Black Pearl Award for Best Short Film
2007 The Golden Elephant - International Children's Film Festival India: The Silver Elephant for the best Short Fiction Live Action Film
2008 Manchester Kurdish Film Festival: Best Director, Best Film
THE BRIDGE (2003), 15 min:
Festivals:
The Norwegian short Film Festival 2003
Awards:
The Norwegian Short Film Festival
The Writers Guild of Norway's Award for Best Screenplay: Timeglasset -
The Hourglass