Shaniaz Hama Ali

Actor / Writer

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Acting

Assistant: Seetal Kaur

Film, TV & Theatre

Assistant: Nacho Martin

Acting

Shaniaz recently played Sofia in Oscar nominated, Palme d'Or winner Ruben Ostlunds much anticipated new film "Triangle of Sadness". Shaniaz debuted with her one-woman show The Big Lie at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018. The show received critical praise and was nominated for the Amnesty Freedom of Speech Award. It is currently being developed for TV by Sony Pictures Entertainment, where Shaniaz will play the lead. 

Shaniaz also starred in Harold Pinter’s Mountain Language at the Royal Court, alongside Douglas Hodge, Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton.

Television

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

BLOOD BROTHERS

Amine

Ole Endresen

Monday Scripted AS/Netflix

MISSING PEOPLE

Mouna

Tova Magnusson

SVT / Unlimited Stories

WHAT HAPPENED IN OSLO

Selma

Stian Kristiansen

TV2/Netflix/Monster Scripted/HOT

YOUNG WALLANDER

Yara

Ole Endresen

Netflix/Yellow Bird Production

LE BUREAU DES LÉGENDES

Sara

Antoine Chevrollier & Eric Rochant

Canal+

Film

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

Sofia

Ruben Östlund

Plattform Production

SISTERS IN ARM

Avesta

Caroline Fourest

Metropolitan Filmexport

NESREEN'S STORY

Lead

Kayode Olorunfemi

Box of Matches

PRACTICE

Lead

Deva Palmier

Deva Films

Stage

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

MOUNTAIN LANGUAGE

Young Woman

Douglas Hodge

The Royal Court

BLUEPRINT MEDEA

Glauke

Julia Pascal

Pascal Theatre Company, Finborough Theatre

THE BIG LIE

Shaniaz

Oscar Toeman

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Radio

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

THE BULBUL WAS SINGING

Ariman

Emma Harding

BBC Radio 4

ONLY MOUNTAINS

Berglin/Layla

Nadia Molinari

BBC Radio Drama

PLAYING DEAD

Nareen

Nadia Molinari

BBC Radio Drama

Workshop

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

A FLASH OF LIGHT

Walaa

Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder

Box of tricks/Royal Exchange Theatre

UNTITLED IRAQ PLAY

Leyla

Diyan Zora

Young Vic

Film, TV & Theatre

Shaniaz debuted her one-woman show The Big Lie at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018. The show won critical praise with 4 stars reviews from Broadway Baby, the List and Edinburgh49. It was featured in the Scotsman, listed as one of four must-sees by the Daily Record and was nominated for the Amnesty Freedom of Speech Award. It is currently being developed for TV by Sony Pictures Entertainment. 

Shaniaz was given a story credit for the short film Practice (2017), which she also starred in. The film has been given an Honorable Mention Award at LA Underground Film Forum and screened at the Tallahassee Film Festival Florida USA, and Women’s Film Festival, Philadelphia USA, in March 2018.

In Development

ProductionCompanyNotes

IN LOCKDOWN

Unlimited Stories

Short film in development
Written, Directed by & starring Shaniaz - Shaniaz's directorial debut

UNTITLED COMMISSION

Palma Pictures

New TV Series in development with Palma Pictures

UNTITLED COMMISSION

Media Pro

New TV series in development with Media Pro

THE REFUGEE

Sony

Script commission

Television

ProductionCompanyNotes

SHANIAZ TV PROJECT

2020

Yellow Bird

Treatment & Pilot Script commission

Theatre

ProductionCompanyNotes

ÇAVÊ WINDA

2020

RSC

Translation of the Kurdish monolgue by Yıldız Çakar

THE BIG LIE

2019

The Frontline Club

Shaniaz was invited to perform her one woman show as part of the 'Frontline Fringe' event.

THE BIG LIE

2018

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Dir. Oscar Toeman
*Nominated for the Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award

Short Films

ProductionCompanyNotes

PRACTICE

2018

Deva Films

This was a collaborative writing process with writer Mandy Lee drawing together the final draft
Dir. Deva Palmier

Press for THE BIG LIE

“A story of blockbuster proportions! Every now and then you hear a story and wish the whole world could hear it too. The Big Lie is one of those. Shaniaz Hama Ali beams with honesty, vulnerability and likeability throughout the performance, impressing with her grasp of comedy and subtlety…The Big Lie is an urgent and captivating story, told by a voice the world needs to hear.”  ★★★★ -  EDINBURGH49

“Shaniaz's storytelling capabilities are intelligent, apt and truly cutting; a welcome break from the more trivial pieces of this year's Fringe.” ★★★★ - THE LIST

“Shaniaz Hama Ali’s semi-autobiographical play contains all the elements needed for a great story…and like the rest of the fascinating hour that we spend in her company, we applaud her for it.” ★★★★ - BROADWAY BABY