Shamim Sarif (September 24, 1969) is a novelist and filmmaker of South Asian and South African heritage. Her roots inspired her to write her award-winning debut novel, The World Unseen, which explores issues of race, gender and sexuality, Shamim Sharif which she later adapted into a film starring Lisa Ray, shown at the London Film Festival in 2007. The World Unseen | The Times BFI London Film FestivalShe is the recipient of three Best Director awards for The World Unseen film - from the South African Film and Television Awards, The Phoenix Film Festival and the Clip (Tampa) Festival. The novel won the Pendleton May First Novel Award and a Betty Trask Award.
She lives in London with her partner Hanan and her two children.