ALIA GHAFAR
Alia is a writer/director from Glasgow. She is currently in development on her first feature film LAV STORY as part of the First Draft development scheme, supported by Screen Scotland. She recently directed PINEAPPLE, a short rom-com comimissioned by BBC Writers Long Story Short. The film was broadcast on BBC Three and is currently available to watch on BBC iPlayer. In 2023, she was selected for the BFIxBMW Filmmaking Challenge with her micro-short comedy HEN DO, and was mentored by Michaela Coel. The film premiered at the BFI London Film festival in 2023, and won the RTS Scotland Award for Best Short Form in 2024. Her first short film, SALT & SAUCE, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2017 and was broadcast on BBC Scotland. Alia’s second short film SCUZZ was commissioned by the BFI Network / Screen Scotland and Alia won the Best Director Award at Women X Festival, 2022. Both shorts have played multiple BAFTA-qualifying festivals. In 2022, Alia was commissioned by BBC The Social to write ALONE, an online short film which was nominated for Best Drama and Best Writer at the RTS Scotland Awards, 2023. She is an alumni of the BFI Network x BAFTA Crew Mentorship scheme, NETWORK@LFF and EIFF Talent Lab
