At the 2016 Academy Awards, the issue of diversity — or lack thereof — was widely acknowledged, with many actors threatening to boycott the show. It’s no secret that Hollywood struggles with on-screen diversity, which is exactly what makes Fatima Liaqat so passionate.
Liaqat was born and raised in Pakistan and moved to Salt Lake City at the age of 13. While she has always loved film, it wasn’t until she took a screenwriting class that she decided to make career out of it. After graduating, she moved to LA and became an intern at “Buzzfeed,” where she made videos that challenged gender norms (like her video called “My Boyfriend Shaved My Head”).
While she loved working at “Buzzfeed,” Liaqat’s true passion is in telling stories of people underrepresented in film. “There are so many stories that aren’t told,” she said. “That’s where I see myself as a filmmaker coming in. I’m not going to tell every story, but I’m going to tell a few that haven’t been told yet.”
In 2015, she participated in the Creative Mind Group’s “Live the Dream” program. She won a chance to go to Sundance and direct a short film. Her film is called “Specific Heat,” and is about an LGBT couple and the give-and-take every relationship requires.
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