Suhaib Gasmelbari was born in 1979 in Sudan. He attended Cinema Studies at the University Paris VIII, and worked as a camera operator and editor, collaborating with various journalists to direct reports for channels like Al Qarra and France 24. He wrote and directed several short narrative films and documentaries. Gasmelbari’s 2017 documentary Sudan’s Forgotten Films was named the Arts & Culture Story of the Year at the 2018 FPA Media Awards. His first feature film, Talking About Trees (2019) won the Special Prize of the Jury at the Istanbul International Film Festival, in addition to the Glasshütte Original Documentary Award and the Panorama Audience Award at the 69th Berlinale.