Tell us a bit about yourself - all the basics! Where you’re from, where you grew up, interests, hobbies, siblings, causes you’re passionate about, anything else that comes to mind…

My name is Khadim Dai. I am originally from Afghanistan but grew up as a refugee in Pakistan. In 2013, I was displaced once again and spent several years in Indonesia as a refugee. I am deeply passionate about filmmaking, storytelling, and advocating for refugee rights.

How did you become interested in film?

My journey into filmmaking happened by chance. In 2013, a bomb exploded near my school, killing over 100 people, including a close friend. The devastation and loss of my friend and community members compelled me to start recording and taking pictures. It wasn’t the first time, my community in Pakistan had already lost thousands in similar attacks. Fearing for my safety, my family urged me to flee. I traveled through Thailand and Malaysia before arriving in Indonesia as a refugee. It was there that I decided to make a film. Using just my phone, I created my first film, an experience that ultimately changed my life.

How did you arrive at the subject of your Close Up project?

The subject of the Close-Up project is a promise I made to myself just before fleeing Pakistan. The film I am developing through Close-Up is the least I can do for my friends who were killed in 2013. I owe them so much, and through this film, I hope to tell at least a part of their story.

If you weren’t a filmmaker, what might you be? What did you want to do or be growing up?

I became a refugee at a very young age. When you're displaced and living in a different country, you rarely have control over your life or future—any policy change can affect you, and your dreams can be shattered in an instant. I embraced every opportunity life offered me and appreciated each one. As a child, I practiced karate, which I loved because it allowed me to travel around Pakistan. But it was in Indonesia that, for the first time, I truly found myself and my voice—through filmmaking.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I have lived my life with love, passion, and a deep sense of enjoyment. I always knew that one day, either someone else or I would ask this very question, and I didn’t want to look back with regret. So, I have no advice. I wouldn’t change a thing.

What has influenced your work as a filmmaker the most? A person, an educator, another filmmaker, a film itself, an experience, etc.?

I’ve been fortunate to meet many incredible artists and educators throughout my journey, each of whom has influenced me in different ways. However, it is my personal life experiences that drive me every day and shape my work as a filmmaker the most.

If you could have coffee with any filmmaker, living or dead, who would it be and why?