Ruhi Hamid

Ruhi Hamid is a British filmmaker, born in Tanzania of Asian origin, who has made award-winning documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, Al Jazeera International, and other UK, US and European broadcasters. Her films have covered international stories — in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, the USA, and the Middle East — dealing with social and political issues about women religion, poverty, health, and human rights. A graduate of London's Royal College of Art, she is also a graphic designer.

Biography Early years Ruhi Hamid was born in Mwanza, Tanzania, to Indian Muslim parents, and moved to England at the age of 12. before leaving in May 2000 to work as a freelance producer/director. For her debut as a freelance, she gained unprecedented access to the Pakistani criminal courts to make the three-part Channel 4 series Lahore Law (2002), which was nominated for a Grierson Award. Specialising as a solo director/camerawoman, often at significant personal risk, Hamid has also collaborated with prominent broadcasters including Jonathan Dimbleby and BBC Three's Reggie Yates.

Her films have been described as "informative journeys into the world of people and their cultures", (she filmed the first ever footage of their plight and went on to campaign on their behalf at the United Nations, the US State Department and at the EU Commission in Brussels), farmers in China, New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, She has also campaigned through video for greater awareness of people with HIV/AIDS in rural India.

Awards 2004: "Outstanding story on South Asia - Broadcast" award from the South Asian Journalists Association for The Rock Star and the Mullahs 2005: Rory Peck Award for At the Epicentre - Post Tsunami Aceh 2010: Shortlisted for Grierson Award (Women, Weddings, War and Me) 2014: Finalist in Rory Peck Awards (Knife Crime ER)