Beginnings

Hammad Zaidi, a disabled kid with a rail-thin left arm, a useless hand, and a cowboy limp, watched a documentary on the clubbing of harp seals with his little sister Mona. All snow-white pups perished except for one called “The Lonely Seal.” The name stuck, as did Hammad’s intent to make the world a better place. A few decades and several charitable endeavors later, from limping door-to-door to wrangle donations for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon in the 1970s to donating to several film festivals starting in the 1990s, including multiple-year contributions to Slamdance, SXSW, Nashville, and the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee – Hammad’s mission has been to help those in need. He donated to the Wooden Athletic Fund at his alma mater, UCLA, for nearly thirty years.

Hammad started judging film festivals in the 1990s. His first two opportunities were at Flickerfest in Bondi Beach, Australia, in 1997 and 1998, a timeless experience where he and his fellow judges would dive into the ocean between screenings. From there, Hammad became a Judge, World Cinema Screener, Filmmaker Advisor, Panelist, Screenwriting Contest Founder/Judge, Program Curator, Advisory Board Member, and or sponsor at multiple film festivals. These include Sundance, Slamdance, SXSW, Nashville, and more. Hammad serves on the Board of Directors of Cinema Without Borders.

Hammad has produced and written films, TV shows, and video games. He has also written 300+ articles through Going Bionic, launched a film distribution company, and joined the Producers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America. Then, in 2018, The Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay, and Music Festival was born.