Biography
Ali Zamani is a film director, writer, and the visionary founder of AZ FilmZ, a dynamic production company known for its innovative storytelling across film, commercials, and music videos. He is also the founder of the Golden Dunes Dubai International Film Festival, bringing global cinema and Hollywood glamour to the UAE.
His love for cinema was sparked during his formative years in Sweden, where he worked at his father's video store. By the age of fourteen, he was already casting friends in his short films, with his mother serving as the cinematographer. Determined to refine his craft, he pursued higher education at Bournemouth University, earning a Higher National Diploma in Video Production, followed by a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film, Video, Media, and Society from Northbrook College, UK. During his time at Northbrook, one of his short films was selected for screening at the prestigious Duke of York's Cinema in Brighton. He later completed a Master's degree in Mass Communication at California State University, Northridge.
Over the past 15 years, Ali has built an impressive career directing over 300 music videos, dozens of commercials, and eight feature films. His 2012 commercial for Luxor, The Comeback Kid, and the music video Love Like Magic both earned Silver Davey Awards in the Film/Video/TV and Music Video categories. He has collaborated with artists including Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, French Montana, and Drake, and created campaigns for major brands like Luxor Casino Hotel, LG, Black Mask Rum, and H2 Rose.
Ali's films have been distributed worldwide by major studios such as Lionsgate. Opus of an Angel, a passion project developed over three years, received critical acclaim and multiple festival awards. His latest feature, Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Denise Richards, and Randy Couture, became a #1 hit on Amazon Prime's Top 10 list in the U.S.
Looking ahead, Ali's next feature, Angels in Darkness, will be shot in London and the UAE this coming year. Over the course of his career, he has directed renowned actors such as Eric Roberts, Rob Schneider, Marlon Wayans, and the late Michael Madsen and Tom Sizemore, further cementing his reputation as a versatile filmmaker capable of working across genres and with high-profile talent.
