Meet our talented team of programmers – the people who work and watch movies all year long to curate the best films possible for the Seattle International Film Festival, celebrating its 48th year from April 14 to 24, 2022. Full program info siff.net/festival.

What are your 10 favorite films ever?
Indian Cinema:
Kabhi Kabhi
Junoon
Bazaar
Mother India
Mr. and Mrs. Iyer

Documentaries:
American Factory
20 Feet from Stardom
Saving Face (Pakistan)

World cinema:
Most Jafar Panahi films
Wadjda (Haifa Al-Mansour)
Silent Waters (Sabiha Sumar), I could keep going.

What is one of your favorite festival moments?
There are many but one that sticks out is when I got to interview Shirin Neshat.

What is your guilty pleasure film?
I watch too many fluff Bollywood films for the songs and dances.

What's one thing we should know about you that is NOT film related?
I used to manage an IT department at the University of Washington Medical Center.

What do you consider your hometown?
I have a few. I grew up in Karachi (Pakistan), Bahrain, and Chicago.