BIOGRAPHY OF THE DIRECTOR

Ridwan Hassim was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1972. He migrated with his family, fleeing the Apartheid system to settle in Sydney, Australia in 1988. He became an Australian Citizen in 1990 and considers Australia his home. He has not returned to South Africa. Ridwan is deeply passionate about telling stories about the unheard voices in the world that promote universal brotherhood, multiculturalism, women’s rights in the Islamic world and greater human rights for all.

THE BEACH was co-funded by the New South Wales Film and Television Office in 2005 and it is Ridwan’s second short film. In April 2003 Ridwan began writing THE BEACH after seeing the World Press Photo of the Year 2003. The screenplay was completed in June 2003, a week before his first daughter Yasmeena Ameera was born. The film was completed two days before his second daughter Leyla Iman was born in 2006.

KHATABAH – his first short film was funded by the Australian Film Commission and Metro Screen's Raw Nerve initiative for talented and emerging filmmakers in 2003. It won 4 International Awards: including Best Screenplay at the San Francisco Short Film Festival 2005 and played in over a dozen festivals around the world.

Ridwan is currently studying via distance education- a Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Business combined degree at the University of New England in Armidale, Australia with Majors in Theatre Studies and International Business. He is developing his final short film (RED FISH) and has written a feature film that he aims to shoot in late 2009. He is the CEO of SPEEDY RIDDY CREATIONS Pty Ltd.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE PRODUCER

Alia Alexandra Eva Hassim was born in Bucharest, Romania in 1981. She migrated to Australia from Romania in 2002, after marrying Ridwan Hassim, making Australia her adopted home. She studied at Spiru Haret University in Bucharest, Romania.

THE BEACH is her first film as a Producer. She has animated a short film: THE GREEN GRASS FROM HOME after receiving a grant under the Multicultural Mentorship Scheme from the New South Wales Film and Television Office and Metro Screen . Alia is also a web designer. She designed the web site for THE BEACH.

Alia is currently studying via Distance Education a Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Business combined degree at the University of New England in Armidale, Australia with Majors in Communication Studies and Accounting.  She is Co Director of SPEEDY RIDDY CREATIONS Pty Ltd and is the mother of two daughters.