I am Hassan Zee. For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to make films.
My enthusiasm for storytelling first took shape as young child growing up in Pakistan. There, I would walk the streets with music in my head and stories playing out before my eyes. Everywhere I looked, I was surrounded by beauty and culture – life, love and drama. At the age of 13, I began to put my passion for the arts into action. I got my start in the world of entertainment at Radio Pakistan where I wrote and produced radio dramas and musical programs. My years at Radio Pakistan were very rewarding; the program provided me with a platform to showcase my abilities and to make people happy. It was then that I realized that my passion for storytelling and my passion for people were one and the same.
At the age of 26 I earned my medical degree and served my residency in a burn unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. During my time at the hospital, I cared for women who were victims of what is known as “Bride Burning.” This archaic practice is used as a form of punishment against women who fail to provide sufficient dowry to their in-laws after marriage, or fail to provide offspring. In most cases, this horrific act is carried out by a womans husband or in-laws, and the results are devastating. Many women are burned to death some beyond recognition; and those who survive often live with unimaginable physical and emotional pain. Even more shocking, is the fact that some women burn themselves as an act of self-immolation.
The impact of my experience in the burn unit was so profound that it changed me forever. While working at the hospital, I made a promise to myself that I would do everything in my power to bring attention to the injustices I had witnessed. For centuries, women have been mistreated by the men in my culture. All over the world, women are continuously forced into marriages with men they do not love. I needed to raise a voice for those women and what better way to do it, than through the power of film.
So, with a renewed sense of purpose and camera in hand, I came to the United States to make films. For the past 12 years I have fully immersed myself into my art. I have written, produced and directed a number of short films, as well as two feature films, Night of Henna and Bicycle Bride. Each of my films is a reflection of my culture, my experiences, and the people I have met along the way. It is my sincere hope that they will bring you as much joy as I have had making them.