
Tarique Qayumi
Director • DGC
Courtney Bainbridge • Meridian Artists
+1 416 961 2777 • info@meridianartists.com
ABOUT
Tarique Qayumi is part of this year's cohort for the Warner Access x Academy Directing Program.
He fled Afghanistan as a refugee in the back of a truck with his mother as a child. He received an MFA in Film from UCLA and trained with Judith Weston to work with actors.
In the first four years of his career, while working in a warzone for Afghanistan's largest station, he directed dramatic TV series and two seasons of SESAME STREET. In Kabul, he learned to thrive under tremendous pressure.
Returning to Canada, Tarique wrote, directed, edited, and shot BLACK KITE, which opened at TIFF '17, went on to 20 festivals, and won the Leo Award for Best Director, Best Writer, and Best Film.
He also has shadowed on VIKINGS for the CORUS-NSI Diversity Program under Daniel Grou.
Tarique shot a short film using virtual production technology for the DGC.
Currently, he is in post-production on his third feature entitled "MÂDAR," which received production financing from TELEFILM and the TELUS FUND.

In the Know
Selected Media Stories
Shore Scripts Fund Finalist
July 10, 2021
Out of 1500 entries, Qayumi's short script placed 2nd winning $10,000 in production funds.
Black Kite the big winner at a tough-minded Leo Awards
July 3, 2018
Georgia Straight
Why I Risked My Life Making a Movie in Afghanistan
Nov 30th, 2017
VICE Magazine
Tarique Qayumi wants to heal Afghanistan through the art of storytelling
Sept 6th, 2017
Q with Tom Power, CBC Radio,
Healing Through Storytelling
Feb 13, 2015
TEDxKabul Talk