Mohammad Ali Sheida is a distinguished filmmaker and photographer originally from Afghanistan, now residing in Manchester, UK. As the founder of Rowzana Production, the first film production company in Afghanistan central highlands, Sheida is dedicated to telling the untold stories of marginalized communities.

In 2014, Sheida produced ‘Four Seasons of Bamyan’ a short film promoting Bamyan province. His 2015 documentary ‘Right to Ride’ advocated for Afghan girls rights to ride bicycles, and in 2017, he directed ’Koh e Mekh’ highlighting the challenges faced by girls seeking education and “My City” Showing the beauty and rich culture of Hazara People. This work earned him the Best Short Documentary award at the Bradford Small World Film Festival.

An acclaimed photographer, Sheida has received multiple international awards and organized significant cultural events in Afghanistan, such as the Damboora Festival and Silkroad Festival. He played a pivotal role in the casting of ’Wolf and Sheep’, which won the top award at the Cannes Directors Fortnight in 2016, and contributed to the feature-length documentary ‘Kamay’ Released in 2024.

Forced to flee Afghanistan, Sheida continues his work in exile. He is currently directing ‘Jogi, Homeless at Homeland’ a feature-length documentary capturing a crucial period in Afghanistan history. His commitment to storytelling and advocacy remains unwavering as he simultaneously contributes his skills to another project in development from exile.