Ward Kamel

Ward Kamel is a Syrian filmmaker based in Brooklyn. He strives to depict underrepresented characters in grounded and relatable narratives.

Ward is an Academy Nicholl Fellow, and his latest short, If I Die in America, premiered at SXSW®. His work has screened at Palm Springs Shortfest, Hollyshorts, Newfest, and NFFTY, where he won Best Director. He is a Sundance Ignite finalist, and his work has been featured as a Vimeo Staff Pick and a Short of the Week selection. Ward’s writing has been accepted to the Stowe Story Labs as well as placing in Austin Film Festival multiple times. He’s been nominated for the Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award at Frameline. The latest short he produced, Aziz, was a semifinalist in the Student Academy Awards®, while the last short he served as cinematographer for, Dress Up, premiered at Aspen ShortFest with screenings at Outfest, Indy Shorts International, Arab Film Festival and MoMA. Ward is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and was the commencement speaker for his class.