Shaheen Dill-Riaz

It is midsummer in northeastern Bangladesh. Five men face a dangerous mission. They must conquer the great river with their raft. Their journey will last a month and take them 300 kilometers downstream. Their cargo: 25,000 bamboo logs. During daytime, endless heat, pouring rain and dangerous …

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In Distant Fortune filmmaker Shaheen Dill-Riaz chronicles the exploits of several young German volunteers in Bangladesh just as the country is going through some very turbulent times. In his latest documentary film, Dill-Riaz creates a sensible and intimate portrayal of a group of young people who leave home to dive …

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The Projectionist, Shaheen Dill-Riaz’ latest documentary film is set to become one of his most successful cineatic feats. It has won praise from both the press and viewers alike and was awarded two of Germany’s most prestigious film prizes, the “Sonderpreis Kultur des Landes NRW” (2013) …

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“Five meters deep, two meters wide—ten square meters. At some point everything feels like home.” Daniel, a captain with the German Bundeswehr speaks almost lovingly about his room in a shipping container at his base in Kunduz, Afghanistan. Daniel believes in what he is doing. “There is …

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In his documentary film The Networker, filmmaker and director Shaheen Dill-Riaz introduces us to Sohel, a thirteen-year-old boy from Dhaka with a fascinating job. He travels to the most isolated places in Bangladesh to help connect people to the outer world – all he needs are a …

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In his film Korankinder, director Shaheen Dill-Riaz enters the secretive world of the Madrassas in Bangladesh. At those conservative Islamic schools, children and adolescents spend their days hovering over the holy book of Islam, the Koran. Their goal is to earn the honorary title of Hafiz, …

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