Mini biography

Roya Sadat _{(March 8, 1983, Herat, Afghanistan)}

Born in Herat, Roya Sadat is an Afghan film producer and director.

She is the director of A Letter to the President (2017), Three Dots (2003) and Sima's Song (2023).

She studied law and political science at the Herat University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2005. In 2006, she studied at the Asian Academy, Pusan for a Certificate Course in Film Direction.

She was the first woman director in the history of Afghan cinema in the post-Taliban era, and ventured into making feature films and documentaries on the theme of injustice and restrictions imposed on women.

Following the fall of the Taliban regime in the country, she made her debut feature film Three Dots. For this film she received six of nine awards which included as best director and best film.

Her fiction film Taar wa Zakhma meaning Playing The Taar screened at the 7th IAWRT Asian Women's Film Festival 2011 deals with the tribulations of a 17-year-old girl married to a much older man. It was also screened at Kabul's First Autumn Human Rights Film Festival and received large audience appreciation.

In her film productions she generally works as scriptwriter, director, and in many other roles including music.

In 2017, A Letter to the President her most famous film that received many international awards, she and her sister Alka Sadat established the Roya Film House and under this banner produced more than 30 documentaries and feature films and TV series .

She is now involved to direct the opera of A Thousand Splendid Suns for the Seattle Opera and she is during pre production of her 2nd feature film Forgotten History.

Director - Selected filmography

1. The Sharp Edge of Peace (2024 | Documentary)
   
2. Sima's Song (2024)
   
3. A Letter to the President | Namai Ba Rahis Gomhor (2017)
   
4. Playing the Taar | Taar Wa Zakhmah (Short 2008)
   
5. Three Dots | Se noghta (2003)