We recently connected with Zayn Saade and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zayn, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Way back in the day, probably around age 9 or 10, I knew there was something special with movies. All of my hobbies and interests revolved around cinema. From Star Wars to Marvel to Pirates of the Caribbean to Batman and Indiana Jones, cinema was my life. I had grown up with it. So, slowly, I began to explore what happens behind the camera. From reading some short books and watching some behind-the-scenes specials on YouTube, my interest in filmmaking began to expand. Then spring of 2020 came around. I went to our local public library and picked up a copy of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I got it mainly to play around with the DVD menu and watch the original cut of the film, but I stumbled upon something. I inserted the bonus DVD and clicked on documentaries. Then something caught my eye, “Within A Minute: The Making of Episode III.” The minute I clicked on that documentary, my career choice became A LOT clearer. The magic of filmmaking just struck me. I was just in awe the entire time. It was like seeing a part of the world I had never seen before. By the time the credits rolled, I had this feeling in my gut, this was it. I just knew this was what I was being called to do. From there I just dived deeper into the rabbit hole, watched more films, learned more about storytelling, and eventually got accepted into my high school’s media program where I began my journey as a student filmmaker.

Zayn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

George Lucas’s Star Wars saga is why I am where I am. It grasped my interest in storytelling and cinema and shaped me into a student filmmaker. I then joined my high school media program, MMET, where I was taught the basics of filmmaking and given hands-on experience with industry-level equipment. I made my first film last year and learned a lot from that experience. So now I’m at a point where I feel it’s time to put my plan into motion. I founded SAADEFILM this year. It’s an independent film studio run by me and assisted by a couple of others. I started SAADEFILM because I feel that the magic of cinema is fading away into a deep abyss. In my opinion, the studios have lost most of their creativity and are destroying their brands. You don’t get films like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, The Dark Knight, The Godfather, Iron Man, Indiana Jones, and Seven Samurai anymore. It’s all remakes and reboots. So I just thought to myself, it’s my job now. The legacies of all those who came before me are now upon me to uphold. With SAADEFILM I intend to make films that tell meaningful stories with complex characters but are still ENTERTAINMENT. You’re never going to find me making a three-hour movie of pure dialogue because that’s just boring. No one wants to watch that other than the critics. I make movies for EVERYONE, just like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg did for me. Whether you are an adult, teenager, or kid you’ll be entertained and have a message to take away from each project. I want anyone who watches my films to know that I will ALWAYS PUT QUALITY ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE! Care, love, and time will be put into every film or short produced under SAADEFILM. I am also announcing projects in phases, similar to that of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So my first phase, Phase One, is going to be announced very soon on my Instagram page. Every project is unique and different from the other. I am thrilled to share my first SAADEFILM production with the world, “A Vigilante’s Lament,” in 2025.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I want to help bring cinema back to where it was. Back when there were multiple good movies in the theatre monthly. Now there are only one or two good movies a year. It’s quite unfortunate. They’re either too artsy or too factory-made. We desperately need that in-between. Entertainment that tells a story. It’s as simple as that. These days it’s either just entertainment or just a story, and you need both to get people to watch. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Jon Favreau, Matt Reeves, Sergio Leone, and Akira Kurosawa are my primary inspirations for my films. With George Lucas being a highlight of course. All of those people made films that perfectly matched the description: entertainment that tells a story. Hence why I love them all so much. Therefore, with SAADEFILM I intend to make films that merge the magic of the storytelling of old, with the technologies of today. As much as I love franchises and wish for them to prosper, I think it would be incredible if we could get people back to the theaters with new ideas and stories.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I love getting the opportunity to tell the stories I want to tell. It’s an incredible gift I’ve been given. But most importantly, bringing joy and inspiration to the world is the absolute best. As Star Wars, Marvel, and Batman inspired me to be a filmmaker and shaped me into the person I am today, I hope my films do the same for other people. And I get to contribute to cinema! Put my name in the history books as a filmmaker. That’s such an honor.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saadefilm_official?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zayn-saade-946642321?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Image Credits

NaesFotos