Abdimalik Ahmed
Abdimalik Ahmed is a Somali-American director, playwright, poet, and actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. His award-winning debut short film "Isn't This What I'm Supposed to Feel" (2023) is a black and white silent experimental short, filmed on Super 8, and hand-processed in his university photo lab. The film was nominated for Best Film and Best Cinematography at the inaugural University of Minnesota Film Festival, ultimately winning Best Performance for Abdimalik Ahmed. The film also played in festivals around the world including Inflamável (Brazil) as a Super 8 Selection, and Fenda Experimental Film Festival (Brazil) as an International Competition Selection. Ahmed is active in the Twin Cities theater scene. His first role was the lead (Hamlet) in a local production of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' in 2022, followed by a run as Tituba in an adaptation of Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible'. His debut play titled "The Place I Return To" (2023) was a one-man show, written and produced solely by Ahmed. It ran for several nights as part of the Minnesota Fringe Festival, playing on stage at Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis. The work was adapted from his poetry and journal entries from the years of 2019-2023. The show explored his journey through depression, suicidal ideation, self-discovery, and his relationship with Allah. Ahmed also frequently collaborates with local Somali filmmakers such as Mohammed Sheikh (Balwo, Bill the Driver, Alif) and Mohamed Sharif (Blight). He has been selected to participate in numerous poetry workshops in the city and can frequently be found at open mics with new poetry to share.