Ali Zamani
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{{Short description|Film director}}
{{Infobox director
| name = Ali Zamani
| image = ALI ZAMANI.png
| birth_date = 11 October 1980
| alma_mater = {{hlist|Northbrook College|California State University}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|writer}}
| notable_works = {{Plainlist|
}}
| website = {{url|alizamani.com}}
}}
Ali Zamani (born 11 October 1980) is a film director and writer. He is the founder of AZ Filmz, a film, commercial and music video production company. {{Cite web |title=Ali Zamani: Movies, Photos, Videos, News, Biography & Birthday {{!}} Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Ali-Zamani |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-20 |title=Ali Zamani - Biografía, mejores películas, series, imágenes y noticias |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/peliculas-series/personas/ali-zamani-1520631 |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=La Vanguardia |language=es}}
Early life and education
Ali Zamani was raised in Gothenburg, Sweden. By the age of twelve, he had directed his first short film—a martial arts movie in which he also starred, with his mother serving as the cinematographer.{{cite web |title=Loose Talk with Director Ali Zamani |url=https://dclifemagazine.com/entertainment/loose-talk-with-director-ali-zamani/ |website=dclifemagazine |date=17 July 2020 |access-date=31 January 2025}}
During his teenage years, Zamani actively participated in theater and drama classes. He pursued formal education in filmmaking, earning a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Video Production from Bournemouth University in 1999. He then obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film, Video, Media, and Society from Northbrook College, Sussex, in 2002. While at Northbrook, one of his short films was selected for screening at the Duke of York's Cinema in Brighton.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Zamani moved to the United States, where he earned a master’s degree in mass communication and Screenwriting from California State University, Northridge, in 2004.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-17 |title=Bringing Home "An Angel": An Interview with Ali Zamani |url=https://worldfilmgeek.com/2020/07/17/bringing-home-an-angel-an-interview-with-ali-zamani/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=WorldFilmGeek |language=en}}
Career
= AZ Filmz and early work =
While being a student at Northbrook College, Zamani founded AZ Filmz in 1998. The company was officially registered as an LLC in 2004 after he completed his graduate studies. AZ Productions focuses on producing artistic, films and music videos that capture youth culture and real-life stories. The company also supports emerging musicians by creating professional-grade music videos to enhance their careers.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
= Music videos and commercials =
Zamani has directed over 300 music videos for prominent artists, including Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, French Montana, Drake, and P. Diddy; Sean Kingston, Baby Bash, Faith Evans.{{Cite web |title=WATCH IT: Va Va Voom f/ Sean Kingston "Supersonic" (Ali Zamani, dir.) |url=https://www.videostatic.com/watch-it/2014/05/01/va-va-voom-supersonic-ali-zamani-dir |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=VideoStatic |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Marlon Wayans and Rob Schneider Star in the 'Just My Type' Music Video from Tiana Kocher |url=https://www.thenewmusicbuzz.com/news/marlon-wayans-and-rob-schneider-star-in-the-just-my-type-music-video-from-tiana-kocher |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=THE BUZZ {{!}} Your #1 Pop Culture Entertainment News Source |language=en}}
Zamani expanded into commercial directing, working with major brands such as Luxor Casino Hotel, LG, Black Mask Rum, and H2 Rose. His 2012 commercial The Comeback Kid for Luxor Casino and the music video Love Like Magic received Silver Davey Awards in the Film/Video/TV and Music Video categories.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
= Feature films =
Zamani transitioned into feature filmmaking, with his projects being distributed by major studios such as Lionsgate. His debut feature film, Opus of an Angel, was a personal project developed over three years. The film, starring William McNamara and Kaylynn Kubeldis, tells the story of a grieving cardiologist who finds new purpose after meeting a blind girl. Zamani worked with Junior Blind of America to cast an authentic blind actress for the role, ultimately selecting Kubeldis. The film premiered at multiple international festivals, winning several awards before its digital release on July 28.{{Cite web |title=The MidEastConnect Magazine {{!}} Lights, Camera, Ali Zamani |url=https://www.theculturalconnect.com/trackback-61/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=The Cultural Connect - Connecting The Globe}}{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2023-03-17 |title=Cranked Up, Archstone Take 'The Country Club' Comedy With Please Don't Destroy's John Higgins; Cuba Gooding Jr. Joins 'Angels Fallen: Warriors Of Peace' – Film Briefs |url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/the-country-club-movie-sets-release-cuba-gooding-jr-joins-angels-fallen-1235300721/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
Following Opus of an Angel, Zamani directed Angels Fallen, an action-adventure film starring Michael Madsen and Nicholas Turturro, shot in Macedonia. A sequel, Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace, was released in 2024, featuring Cuba Gooding Jr., Denise Richards, and Randy Couture.{{Cite web |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=2022-06-15 |title=Denise Richards, Indonesia's Arifin Putra Head Cast of 'Angels Fallen' Sequel (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/asia/denise-richards-arifin-putraangels-fallen-sequel-1235292318/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=2020-06-23 |title=Freestyle Acquires 'Divos!'; Docs 'The Prison Within' & 'Superhuman' Find Homes; Random Media Takes 'Opus Of An Angel' – Film Deal Briefs |url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/freestyle-divos-the-prison-within-superhuman-opus-of-an-angel-deals-1202967997/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace reached the top spot on the Amazon Prime Movies chart in November 2024 and held the position for three weeks in the U.S.{{Cite web |author1=Alyse Stanley |date=2024-11-22 |title=Prime Video top 10 movies — here's the 3 worth watching now |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/prime-video/prime-video-top-10-movies-heres-the-3-worth-watching-now |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=Tom's Guide |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Cranswick |first=Amie |date=2024-11-10 |title=Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace Hits Top 10 Movies on Amazon Prime Video |url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/angels-fallen-warriors-of-peace-hits-top-10-movies-on-amazon-prime/ |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=Flickering Myth |language=en-US}}
Notable works
= As writer<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellwood-Hughes |first=Pip |date=2020-07-27 |title=Opus of an Angel VOD review |url=https://entertainment-focus.com/2020/07/27/opus-of-an-angel-vod-review/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Entertainment Focus |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Review: ANGELS FALLEN (2019) - Voices From The Balcony |url=https://www.voicesfromthebalcony.com/2019/12/21/review-angels-fallen-2019/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website= |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-27 |title=Opus of an Angel (2018) |url=https://worldfilmgeek.com/2018/02/26/opus-of-an-angel-2018/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=WorldFilmGeek |language=en}}</ref> =
- Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace (2024)
- Opus of an Angel (2017)
= As producer =
- The Last Exorcist (2020)
- Escape: Puzzle of Fear as executive producer (2020)
- Coven (2020)
- American Exorcism as executive producer (2017)
Accolades
Ali Zamani received two Silver Davey Awards (2012) for The Comeback Kid and Love Like Magic. His film Opus of an Angel won Best Director and Best Screenplay at the World Music and Independent Film Festival (2019), Best Dramatic Film at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival (2018), and several other honors, including Best Ensemble Cast and Awards of Merit for its themes. His film Hacked won Best Film at the Andromeda Film Festival (2020). Zamani’s work has also received multiple nominations at festivals such as Route 66, Monarch, and the Catholic Film Festival.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
References
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