Ian Iqbal Rashid
Encyclopedia
Born in 1971 in Dar es Salaam
, Tanzania
, Ian Iqbal Rashid is a poet, screenwriter and filmmaker.
In his early childhood, his family were forced to leave Tanzania. After failing to secure asylum in the UK and US, they settled in Canada. In the early 1990's, Rashid returned to London
, Britain
, where he lives today with his partner, the writer and curator Peter Ride.
Touch of Pink
, his first feature film, spent 12 years in development. In 2003 he finally had the chance to direct the project as a Canada-UK co-production. It premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival
to great acclaim, a bidding war, and eventually, a sale to Sony Picture Classics.
How She Move
received a similar reception at Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Rashid in 2006/7, the film is set in the world of step dancing. It was nominated for a Sundance World Cinema Grand Jury Prize and purchased by Paramount Vantage. The film opened to great reviews and strong box office: another indie success story to emerge from Sundance.
Rashid's next feature project is American English
, due to begin production in 2011. The film, a comedy, will be produced by The King's Speech's Oscar winning producers Iain Canning
and Emile Sherman alongside Christina Piovesan, producer of Amreeka
and The Whistleblower
. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kings-speech-producers-set-next-161117
Self-taught as a film-maker, Rashid began his career in the late 90’s, working as a writer in UK television. His credits include the soap, London Bridge
(Carlton Television for ITV) and the cult hit BBC2 series This Life
for which he received the Writer’s Guild of England award. Rashid has written two award-winning short films, Surviving Sabu (1999, Arts Council of England) and Stag (2001, BBC Films).
He wrote and read his short story Muscular Bridges for BBC Radio 4
's HMS Windrush Anniversary. For BBC's Woman's Hour Programme, Rashid wrote and directed Leaving Normal, a comedy serial about gay adoption starring Imelda Staunton
and Meera Syal
.
Rashid has written three award-winning books of poetry. The most recent is The Heat of Yesterday. He has also curated film programmes and exhibitions for venues such as the National Film Theatre, The Institute of Contemporary Art and Experimenta.
Amongst many awards and festival prizes, Rashid has received the Aga Khan
Award for Excellence in the Arts.
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Ian Iqbal Rashid is a poet, screenwriter and filmmaker.
In his early childhood, his family were forced to leave Tanzania. After failing to secure asylum in the UK and US, they settled in Canada. In the early 1990's, Rashid returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where he lives today with his partner, the writer and curator Peter Ride.
Touch of Pink
Touch of Pink
Touch of Pink is a 2004 film directed and written by Ian Iqbal Rashid. and takes its name from the Cary Grant film That Touch of Mink.-Synopsis:...
, his first feature film, spent 12 years in development. In 2003 he finally had the chance to direct the project as a Canada-UK co-production. It premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
to great acclaim, a bidding war, and eventually, a sale to Sony Picture Classics.
How She Move
How She Move
How She Move is a 2007 drama film directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid and starring Rutina Wesley, Clé Bennett and Romina D'Ugo. The film showcases the street culture of step dancing...
received a similar reception at Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Rashid in 2006/7, the film is set in the world of step dancing. It was nominated for a Sundance World Cinema Grand Jury Prize and purchased by Paramount Vantage. The film opened to great reviews and strong box office: another indie success story to emerge from Sundance.
Rashid's next feature project is American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
, due to begin production in 2011. The film, a comedy, will be produced by The King's Speech's Oscar winning producers Iain Canning
Iain Canning
Iain Canning is a British film producer best known for producing The King's Speech , for which he won an Academy Award for Best Picture, and the BAFTA awards for Best Film and Best British Film. He co-founded See-Saw Films with producing partner Emile Sherman in 2008...
and Emile Sherman alongside Christina Piovesan, producer of Amreeka
Amreeka
Amreeka is a 2009 American/Canadian/Kuwaiti independent film written and directed by first-time director Cherien Dabis. It stars Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Joseph Ziegler, and Miriam Smith....
and The Whistleblower
The Whistleblower
The Whistleblower is a 2010 thriller film directed by Larysa Kondracki, written by Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan, starring Rachel Weisz. Inspired by actual events, the film tells the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, and premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival...
. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kings-speech-producers-set-next-161117
Self-taught as a film-maker, Rashid began his career in the late 90’s, working as a writer in UK television. His credits include the soap, London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
(Carlton Television for ITV) and the cult hit BBC2 series This Life
This Life
This Life is a BBC television drama that was produced by World Productions and screened on BBC Two. Two series were broadcast in 1996 and 1997 and a reunion special in 2007....
for which he received the Writer’s Guild of England award. Rashid has written two award-winning short films, Surviving Sabu (1999, Arts Council of England) and Stag (2001, BBC Films).
He wrote and read his short story Muscular Bridges for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's HMS Windrush Anniversary. For BBC's Woman's Hour Programme, Rashid wrote and directed Leaving Normal, a comedy serial about gay adoption starring Imelda Staunton
Imelda Staunton
Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton, OBE is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the British comedy television series Up the Garden Path, the Harry Potter film series and Vera Drake...
and Meera Syal
Meera Syal
Meera Syal MBE is a British comedienne, writer, playwright, singer, journalist, producer and actress. She rose to prominence as one of the team that created Goodness Gracious Me and became one of the UK's best-known Indian personalities portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, Ummi, in The Kumars at No...
.
Rashid has written three award-winning books of poetry. The most recent is The Heat of Yesterday. He has also curated film programmes and exhibitions for venues such as the National Film Theatre, The Institute of Contemporary Art and Experimenta.
Amongst many awards and festival prizes, Rashid has received the Aga Khan
Aga Khan
Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
Award for Excellence in the Arts.