Congratulations to Saim Sadiq, the winner of the 2023 CUFF Andrew Sarris Award!

Saim Sadiq is a Pakistani filmmaker with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and a graduate degree in Film Directing from Columbia University, class of 2019. His first feature, Joyland, won the Jury Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, became Pakistan's official submission to the 95th Academy Awards, and was eventually shortlisted for Best Foreign Feature.  His short film Darling, which was based on Joyland, won the Best Short Film award at the 76th Venice Film Festival and was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival.  

Sadiq will accept the award remotely at Screenwriting Night on Thursday, May 11, 2023.

About Saim Sadiq
Sadiq is a Pakistani filmmaker with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and a graduate degree in Film Directing from Columbia University. His first feature, Joyland, became Pakistan's official submission to the 95th Academy Awards, and was eventually shortlisted for Best Foreign Feature. His short films (Darling, Nice Talking to You) placed at festivals such as the Venice Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Palm Springs International Shortsfest, and South by Southwest.

About the Andrew Sarris Award

Named for the world-renowned critic, theorist and film program professor, the Andrew Sarris Award was created by film students to honor outstanding artistic achievement of distinguished alumni. In addition to teaching at Columbia, Andrew Sarris worked extensively as a film critic and is the author of numerous books, including the landmark, American Cinema: Directors and Directions, 1929-1968 and many other influential works.

Past Andrew Sarris Award Winners

2022 – Deborah Chow (Film ’04)

2021 – Cherien Dabis (Film ’04)

2019 – Phil Johnston (Film ’04)

2018 – Laura Ricciardi (Film ’07) and Moira Demos (Film ’08) 

2017 – Ben Odell (Film ’04)

2016 – Annemarie Jacir (Film ’02)

2015 – James Ponsoldt (Film ’05)

2014 – Jennifer Lee (Film ’05)

2013 – Adam Davidson (Film ’91)

2012 – Malia Scotch Marmo (Film ’88)

2011 – Greg Mottola (Film ’91)

2010 – Simon Kinberg (Film ’03)

2009 – Kathryn Bigelow (Film ’81)

2008 – Kimberly Peirce (Film ’96)

2007 – Ron Nyswaner (Film ’81)

2006 – Nicole Holofcener (Film ’88)

2005 – Jeffrey Sharp (Film ’01) & Jay Russell (Film ’85)

2004 - Sabrina Dhawan (’02) & Al Berger (’83)

2003 - Shari Springer Berman (’95) & Robert Pulcini (’94); James Mangold (’99)

2002 - Lisa Cholodenko (’97)

2001 - Andrew Sarris