Saleem Haddad | |
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سليم حداد | |
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| Born | Saleem Yacoub Saleem Haddad 1983 (age 41–42) |
| Nationality |  British Jordanian |
| Education | StudiedEconomics at a university inCanada |
| Occupation(s) | Author,filmmaker,aid worker |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Known for | Guapa |
| Notable work | Guapa |
| Partner | Lives inLisbon with his partner |
| Parent(s) | Lebanese-Palestinian (father) Iraqi-German (mother) |
| Awards | Polari First Book Prize (2017) |
| Website | www |
Saleem Yacoub Saleem Haddad (Arabic: سليم حداد; born 1983) is an author, filmmaker and aid worker of Iraqi-German and Palestinian-Lebanese descent, whose debut novelGuapa was published in 2016.[1]
Saleem Haddad was born inKuwait City in 1983 to a Lebanese-Palestinian father and an Iraqi-German mother.[2] His Palestinian Christian grandmother was born in Nazareth and lived in Haifa before being displaced to Beirut during theNakba. His parents met in Baghdad during theLebanese Civil War, and moved to Kuwait during theIran–Iraq War. After Haddad's birth, during theGulf War, the family moved again to Cyprus.[3] Haddad was subsequently raised and educated in Amman and London.[2] He studied economics at a university in Canada.[3]
Haddad's debut novelGuapa was released in March 2016 byOther Press.[4] The book, set over 24 hours, tells the story of Rasa, agay man living in an unnamed Arab country, and trying to carve out a life for himself in the midst of political and religious upheaval.[4]
The novel was excerpted byVICE as well asKalimat magazine, and received widespread acclaim, withThe New Yorker calling it a "vibrant, wrenching début novel".[5] According toBook Riot, "Haddad mapspostcolonial theory, post-revolutionarymalaise, and post-outing upheaval onto your standard post-college, what-am-I-doing-with-my-life aimlessness, creating something wonderful and fascinating in the process."[6]
As part of the London Literature Festival, Haddad was awarded thePolari First Book Prize 2017. The prize is awarded annually to a writer whose first book explores the LGBT experience, whether in poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction.[7]
Haddad's work has also appeared inSlate andMuftah. He has also worked as an aid worker withDoctors Without Borders and other organizations in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.[8] He currently lives inLisbon with his partner.[8]
In 2018 Haddad wrote and directed his first short film,Marco.[9] The film had its World Premiere atMawjoudin Queer Film Festival in Tunis, and its European Premiere atBFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival in London, both in March 2019. The film subsequently screened internationally at festivals includingPalm Springs International ShortFest[9] andOutfest Fusion,[10] and was nominated for Best British Short at the 2019Iris Prize.[11] In April 2020, the film was made available onYouTube.
Haddad contributed to the anthologyThis Arab is Queer (2022).
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