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Not Just Stories—
Echoes of Lives

Zayed Siddiki
Independent Filmmaker/Development Storyteller/Designer

Indie filmmaker. Development storyteller. 13 years of stories rooted in neo-realism, marginality, and the human condition.

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SCENE 01

A Witness to the Unspoken

Director portrait — cinematic profile

INT. THE ORIGIN — DAY

Zayed Siddiki is an independent Bangladeshi filmmaker and impact producer whose work explores psychological fragility, social contradiction, and emotional isolation through a neo-realist lens. He is an alumnus of the Department of Television, Film and Photography at the University of Dhaka and a member of the Global Impact Producers Alliance (GIPA).

INT. THE WORK — NIGHT

His films have been officially selected at more than 50 international film festivals across five continents, earning numerous awards. His short Raven (2023) screened at 19 international film festivals including Minsk International Film Festival Listapad, Kazan International Film Festival, Dhaka International Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, International Film Festival of South Asia (Toronto), Toulouse Indian Film Festival, and Tokyo International Short Film Festival, among others, winning multiple awards. The film was subsequently acquired for distribution by 7Palms Entertainment (USA), ShortsTV (UK), and Screenxcope (Australia) and available on Amazon Prime video on demand. His student films have also been awarded and showcased at international film festivals, establishing him as a distinctive voice in contemporary Bangladeshi independent cinema.

EXT. THE PRACTICE — CONTINUOUS

Alongside his filmmaking, Siddiki has spent over 13 years in development communications, leading communications initiatives funded by USAID, USCDC, UNDP, WFP, SIDA, SDC, and the European Union, and implemented by organizations including World Vision, Save the Children, The Asia Foundation, BRAC, and HELVETAS, among others. This dual engagement has shaped his identity as a filmmaker who bridges grassroots realities with bold, human-centered cinematic expression.

INT. WHAT'S NEXT — LATER

His latest short, Fallen Petals (2026), is a restrained psychological drama preparing for its international festival premiere. He is currently developing his debut feature, NECROPHILE, a genre-blending psychological drama with dark body-horror elements and his psycho-social realism short MEENANTORI.

INDIE FILMS9
IMPACT + INGO DOCS25+
FESTIVALS50+
AWARDS15
EXPERIENCE13 yrs
BASED INDhaka, BD
SCENE 02

The Filmography

SCENE 03

Latest Trailers

Fallen Petals

Short Fiction — 2026

NOW PLAYING

QUEUE

PRACTICE

Beyond the Frame

Parallel practices in development storytelling and visual design that extend the filmmaker's vision into the world.

ACCOLADES

Recognition

ALL ACCOLADES
Winner — Special Jury Award

Winner — Special Jury Award

4th Bangladesh Short & Documentary Film Festival 2025

Raven
Winner — Best Film Award

Winner — Best Film Award

6th Hill Film Festival 2024, Bangladesh

Raven
Winner — Special Jury Award

Winner — Special Jury Award

10th International Film Festival of Shimla 2024, India

Raven
Official Competition — International Shorts

Official Competition — International Shorts

31st Minsk International Film Festival 2025, Belarus

Raven
Official Competition — Jury Prize & Audience Award

Official Competition — Jury Prize & Audience Award

10th Toulouse Indian Film Festival 2025, France

Raven
Official Competition — Jury & Audience Award

Official Competition — Jury & Audience Award

13th DC South Asian Film Festival 2024, USA

Raven
Official Competition — Best Featurette

Official Competition — Best Featurette

13th IFFSA Toronto 2024, Canada

Raven
Official Competition — Best Short Film

Official Competition — Best Short Film

14th South Asian Film Festival of Montreal 2025, Canada

Raven
Official Competition — Best Short Film

Official Competition — Best Short Film

19th Kazan International Film Festival 2023, Russia

Raven
Official Selection

Official Selection

15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2024, Australia

Raven
Official Selection

Official Selection

12th Indo-German Film Week 2024, Berlin, Germany

Raven
Official Selection

Official Selection

23rd Dhaka International Film Festival 2025, Bangladesh

Raven
Winner — Best Film Award

Winner — Best Film Award

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy 3 Minutes FF 2022

In Expedition to Happiness
Winner — People's Choice Award

Winner — People's Choice Award

AUW Film Festival 2017, Bangladesh

Colourkite
Winner — Honorable Mention

Winner — Honorable Mention

8th International Inter-University Film Festival 2015, Dhaka University

Colourkite
Official Competition

Official Competition

17th Seoul International Youth Film Festival 2015, South Korea

Colourkite
CURRENT & UPCOMING

Festivals & Screenings

ALL EVENTS
NOW STREAMING & SCREENING

Watch & Catch — Raven

ALL SCREENINGS
Amazon Prime Video
VOD / OTT

Amazon Prime Video

Streaming — UK & Europe

Great Britain & Europe

Raven

Reveel
VOD / OTT

Reveel

Streaming — Worldwide

Available worldwide

Raven

Goethe-Institut Screening
SCREENING

Goethe-Institut Screening

Two Cultures, One Screen

16 August 2025 — 5:00 pm

Raven

SHALA Neighbourhood Art Space
SCREENING

SHALA Neighbourhood Art Space

Understanding Urban Reality

19 April 2025 — 6pm–8pm

Raven

ON SET

The Working Process

SEE MORE
Directing on set — Fallen Petals

Directing on set — Fallen Petals

On set — Tale of an Ecliptic Time

On set — Tale of an Ecliptic Time

Full crew on set — Fallen Petals

Full crew on set — Fallen Petals

Monitoring playback — Fallen Petals

Monitoring playback — Fallen Petals

Framing the shot — Fallen Petals

Framing the shot — Fallen Petals

Raven — on location, Dhaka streets

Raven — on location, Dhaka streets

Outdoor shooting — Fallen Petals

Outdoor shooting — Fallen Petals

Directing actors — Fallen Petals

Directing actors — Fallen Petals

Crowd scene — Raven, exterior location

Crowd scene — Raven, exterior location

Tracking shot setup — Raven, railway location

Tracking shot setup — Raven, railway location

SCENE 04

In the Media

SEE MORE
FESTIVAL SELECTIONOCT 2025

Times of Bangladesh

Zayed Siddiki's 'Darkaak' to compete at MIFF 2025

Out of 3,655 submissions from 120 countries, Darkaak (Raven) is one of 13 short films selected for competition at the 31st Minsk International Film Festival Listapad — the only Bangladeshi entry.

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FESTIVAL SELECTIONOCT 2025

The Daily Star

'Darkaak' selected for Minsk International Film Festival Listspad 2025

Bangladeshi independent filmmaker Zayed Siddiki's 'Darkaak' (RAVEN, 2024) has been officially selected for competition at the 31st Minsk International Film Festival Listapad — one of Eastern Europe's most prestigious film events.

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FESTIVAL SELECTIONAPR 2025

Daily Times (Pakistan)

'Darkak' set to hit world film festivals

Darkak is set to screen at the 10th Toulouse Indian Cinema Festival in France and the 14th South Asian Film Festival of Montreal in Canada. The film has already been selected by 16 international film festivals in 10 countries.

Read more
AWARDAUG 2024

The Daily Star

Bangladeshi short film 'Darkak' wins award at Shimla Int'l Film Festival

'Darkak' has earned the Special Critics' Award at the 10th Shimla International Film Festival in India, held at the historic Gaiety Theatre Cultural Complex. Director Zayed Siddiqui personally received the award.

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FESTIVAL SELECTIONAPR 2025

New Age BD

Zayed's 'Darkaak' selected for film festivals in France, Canada

Filmmaker Zayed Siddiki's short film Darkaak has been selected for the 10th Toulouse Indian Cinema Festival in France and the 14th South Asian Film Festival of Montreal in Canada.

Read more
AWARDAUG 2024

Daily Sun

'Darkaak' wins Special Jury award at IFFS

Zayed Siddiki's short film 'Darkaak' (Raven) has been awarded a Special Jury Prize at the 10th International Film Festival of Shimla. The award was presented by the Governor of Himachal Pradesh at the Gaiety Theatre Complex.

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AWARDAUG 2024

Prothom Alo

পুরস্কার জিতল 'দাঁড়কাক'

ভারতে দশম শিমলা আন্তর্জাতিক চলচ্চিত্র উৎসবে বিশেষ সমালোচক পুরস্কার জিতল বাংলাদেশের স্বল্পদৈর্ঘ্য চলচ্চিত্র 'দাঁড়কাক'। Award won at the 10th Shimla International Film Festival.

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AWARDAUG 2024

New Age BD

Zayed's 'Darkaak' bags Special Jury in Indian film fest

Filmmaker Zayed Siddiki's short film Darkaak bagged the Special Jury Prize at the 10th International Film Festival of Shimla in India. 'It is always special to receive award from a notable festival like IFFS,' said the director.

Read more
FESTIVAL SELECTIONAUG 2024

Prothom Alo

'দাঁড়কাক' তিন আন্তর্জাতিক উৎসবে যাচ্ছে

Zayed Siddiki's 'Darkaak' selected for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Australia), Shimla International Film Festival (India), and DC South Asian Film Festival (USA).

Read more
FEATURE / INTERVIEWMAY 2023

EngageMedia / Cinemata

Cinemata Features: Zayed Siddiki

A spotlight on Zayed Siddiki — award-winning independent filmmaker, human rights defender, and development communications professional based in Dhaka, whose films have screened in festivals across South Korea, India, Romania, Turkey, and the Philippines.

Read more
FESTIVAL SELECTIONAUG 2024

The Daily Star

Jayanta Chattopadhyay starrer 'Darkak' selected in three int'l film festivals

Bangladeshi director Zayed Siddiki's short film 'Darkak' (Raven) has been selected for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the Shimla International Film Festival, and the DC South Asian Film Festival.

Read more
SCREENPLAY LAB2023

Dhaka Tribune

'West Meets East Screenplay Lab' announces finalists

The Dhaka International Film Festival's West Meets East Screenplay Lab announces its selected projects, including Zayed Siddiki's debut feature 'Necrophile' — a psychological thriller among 10 chosen South Asian projects.

Read more
FESTIVAL SELECTION2017

Dhaka Tribune

Colourkite and Dream Lithe at Film Festival in Norway

Two short films by Zayed Siddiki — 'Colourkite' (2014) and 'Dream Lithe' (2016) — are selected for screening at a film festival in Norway, expanding the filmmaker's international footprint.

Read more
AWARDJAN 2025

The Daily Star

Award-winning films spotlight indigenous voices at Hill Film Festival

The 6th Hill Film Festival closes with 'Raven' by Zayed Siddiki winning Best Short Fiction. The festival showcased 62 films from 20 countries at DrikPath Bhobon and Shala Neighbourhood Art Space, Dhaka.

Read more
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