Shahriar Shafiani is an award-winning filmmaker, scholar, and educator. He is an Assistant Professor of Film at Howard University in Washington, DC, where he also coordinates the graduate film program. Shah works professionally as a film editor, director, and performance coach. Originally from Iran, he began his career as an independent filmmaker in the Middle East before pursuing his filmmaking and academic studies in the U.S., earning a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Arts and an MFA in Film from Ohio University.

A true international filmmaker, Shah has created and screened films across three continents. His work has been recognized with several accolades, including the Van Gogh World Cinema Directing Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival, Best Ohio Film at the Columbus International Film and Animation Festival, and the Best of Narrative Competition and Award of Excellence from the Broadcast Education Association. His most recent works can be found on Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Netflix.