Alia Ghafar is a Writer/Director from Glasgow working in both film and TV.

She has most recently directed PINEAPPLE, a short rom-com for BBC Three, written by Rachelle Atalla and currently in post-production.

In 2023, she was selected for the BFIxBMW Filmmaking Challenge with her micro-short comedy HEN DO and was mentored by Michaela Coel. The film premiered at BFI London Film Festival 2023 and won the RTS Scotland Award 2024 for Best Short Form.

Her first short, SALT & SAUCE, premiered at LFF in 2017 and was broadcast on BBC Scotland. Alia’s second short SCUZZ was commissioned by BFI Network/Screen Scotland and won the Best Director Award at Women X Festival 2022. Both shorts have played multiple BAFTA-qualifying festivals.

Alia was commissioned by BBC The Social to write ALONE, a short online drama which was nominated for Best Drama and Best Writer at the RTS Scotland Awards 2023.

She is an alumni of the BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew Mentorship Scheme, NETWORK@LFF and EIFF Talent Lab.

Alongside her writing/directing work, Alia works in film education. The rest of the time, she’s probably eating pizza on the couch with her cat Seb.