Tarique Qayumi
British Columbia
Tarique Qayumi is a Canadian-Afghan filmmaker whose work spans feature films, television, and international storytelling. His journey began with a dramatic escape from Afghanistan, hidden in the back of a truck with his mother, an experience that continues to shape his voice as a storyteller.
Selected for the Warner Bros. x Academy Directing Program, Qayumi directed an episode of CBC's Allegiance.
His second feature, Black Kite, premiered at TIFF, screened at over 20 international festivals, and won three Leo Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writer. The film was acquired by Amazon Studios. His third feature, Conceiving Clara, produced with Telefilm Canada, premiered at the Canadian Film Festival, screened at Dances With Films in Los Angeles, and debuted on Hollywood Suite.
Qayumi's television series Kabul Kitchen won the Creator of Colour Incubator at TIFF and received pre-development funding from CBC. His current feature, Over the Next Hill, developed with a proof-of-concept shot in Tajikistan, was selected for the DGC delegation to the European Film Market.
Known for his strong work with actors, Qayumi trained under renowned acting coach Judith Weston. He is also an early adopter of virtual production in Canada, having directed the short film Mara's World using LED stage technology.
He has mentored at the Whistler Film Festival Screenwriting Labs and served as a juror for VIFF and the Crazy8's Film Festival. Earlier in his career, he directed hit television series in Afghanistan, including Truth Unveiled, The Defenders, and Sesame Street Afghanistan, reaching millions of viewers nationwide.
Meridian Artists - Courtenay Bainbridge
cbainbridge@meridianartists.com
Main Reel
Main Reel
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Allegiance
Episodes: S2.E9
Dates: 2025
Link: IMDB
Role: Director
Studio / Network: CBC
Type: One-hour episodic (TV/SVOD)
Genre: Drama, Crime, Procedural
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Targeting
Dates: 2014
Link: IMDB
Roles: Director, Writer
Type: Indie Feature
Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller
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The Defenders
Dates: 2013
Link: IMDB
Roles: Director, Creator
Type: Limited Series
Genre: Drama, Crime
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Truth Unveiled: Rah-e-Haqiqat
Dates: 2012
Link: IMDB
Role: Director
Type: Half-hour episodic (TV/SVOD)
Genre: Crime, Documentary
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