Dany Saadia is a Mexican

filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

podcaster A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an episodic series of digital audio files that users can download to a personal device or stream to listen to at a time of their ...

and

entrepreneur Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones. An entreprene ...

who won the 2008 Best Director Malaga Festival award as well as the Best Feature Film award at the Mostra de València (

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

). he is the

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

of Dixo, the first podcasting production company in Mexico.

Career

''Genesis 3:19''

In 2003 he wrote and directed ''Genesis 3:19'' a short film whose

world premiere A premiere, also spelled première, (from , ) is the debut (first public presentation) of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work. History Raymond F. Betts attributes the introduction of the film ...

was at the 2004

Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...

. The film won 'Best Screenplay' at the 2004

Rhode Island Film Festival Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) takes place every year in Providence and Newport, Rhode Island as well as satellite locations throughout the state. Started in 1997, the Festival is produced by Flickers, the Newpor ...

, and 'Best Short Film' at the 2004

Austin Film Festival Austin Film Festival (AFF), founded in 1994, is an organization in Austin, Texas, that focuses on writers' creative contributions to film. Initially, AFF was called the Austin Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference and functioned to launch the c ...

''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad''

In 2006 he wrote and directed his first feature film, ''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad'', a Spanish-Mexican production, in

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

, Spain. It starred

Miguel Angel Silvestre --> Miguel is a given name and surname, the Portuguese and Spanish form of the Hebrew name Michael. It may refer to: Places * Pedro Miguel, a parish in the municipality of Horta and the island of Faial in the Azores Islands *São Miguel (disamb ...

, Felix Gomez, Juan Diaz, Barbara Goenaga and Diana Bracho. The soundtrack was scored by

Robin Guthrie Robin Andrew Guthrie (born 4 January 1962) is a Scottish musician, songwriter, composer, record producer and audio engineer, best known as the co-founder of the post punk alternative rock band Cocteau Twins. During his career Guthrie has ...

, and edited by Ivan Aledo. The world premiere of ''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad'' was during the 2008

Santa Barbara International Film Festival The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is an eleven-day film festival held in Santa Barbara, California in February annually, since 1986. The festival screens over 200 feature films and shorts from different countries and regions. ...

. The film earned a positive review from ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' film critic Robert Koehler. During the festival run, ''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad'' won 'Best Director' in the 2008

Málaga Spanish Film Festival Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...

, and won for 'Best Film' and for 'Best Actor' for Miguel Angel Silvestre in the 2008 Mostra de Valencia.

''Faust Arp''

In 2008 he entered the Aniboom In Rainbows Contest to create a full-length animated video clip for

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...

, and his video clip submission ''Faust Arp'' was one of the finalists of the In Rainbows Animated Music Video Contest.

Podcast production

In 2005, Saadia founded Dixo, the first network of podcasts and blogs in Mexico.

Filmography

Recognition

In comparing ''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad'' to Saadia's earlier work, ''

'' film critic Robert Koehler wrote "Saadia has built his feature on the groundwork of his 2004 short, ''Genesis 3:19'', but the final work may be overbuilt," expanding, "Saadia's warm cast, full of youthful Spanish thesps (many direct from the Iberian tube), add a lightness of being to a film that gets a little too eager to fling ideas at the viewer." However, he granted that "Production values add considerable allure to the brainy entertainment, decked out with an interesting score by the

Cocteau Twins Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock music, rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth by Robin Guthrie (guitars, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981. In 19 ...

Awards and nominations

* 2004, won 'Best Screenplay' at

for ''Genesis 3:19'' * 2004, won 'Best Narrative Short Film' at '

for ''Genesis 3:19'' * 2006, shortlisted for ''Best Short Fiction Film Short'' by -

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

for ''Genesis 3:19'' * 2008, won 'Best Director' at

for ''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad'' * 2008, won 'Best Feature Film' at Mostra de Valencia for ''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad'' * 2008, won 'Best Actor' for Miguel Angel Silvestreat at Mostra de Valencia for ''3:19 Nada Es Casualidad''

References

External links

*
SBCC's '3:19' Review
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saadia, Dany Mexican podcasters Mexican film directors Mexican screenwriters 1969 births Living people New York Film Academy alumni