Maksud Hossain is a writer-director whose debut feature Saba (2024) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to widespread critical acclaim. The film has since traveled to major festivals including Busan, Red Sea, Alternativa, Göteborg, Osaka, Bengaluru, and more. Born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, Hossain studied at Purdue University. He has directed over 15 short films, including Three Beauties, which won the Student Academy Award in 2006. Over the past 15 years, he has also helmed more than 200 television commercials. The screenplay for Saba was selected for prestigious development platforms such as the Global Media Makers Fellowship (2023), Cannes Film Festival’s Co-production Day (2022), Asian Project Market (2022), Produire au Sud (2022), and NFDC Film Bazaar (2021). He is a Berlinale Talents Fellow (2025).