Director’s Bio

Saro Varjabedian, a Queen’s native of Armenian descent, is an award-winning International Cinematographer and Director. As a Cinematographer, Saro has photographed nine feature films, one feature documentary, several web series, and countless shorts. He has filmed internationally in Cuba, Armenia, France, Lebanon, Mexico, and India. His work on the short film “Jesus Loves Yusef” has won Saro the Best Student Cinematography Award at the 2012 Palm Springs International Film Festival. “Elliot Loves,” a feature film, which Saro photographed, has aired on HBO Latino, HBO Zone, HBO Comedy, HBO Go, Cinemax, Cinemax Go, and Hulu. “The Traveller,” an International Lebanese/French Co-Production feature film, has screened at the 2017 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, the 2018 Dubai International Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2017 Woodstock Film Festival and the 2018 Lebanese Movie Awards. He has also photographed the international Bulgarian-Cuban feature film, “Havana Darkness,” and the international Bulgarian-Mexican feature film, “Welcome to Acapulco,” both of which are currently available on VOD platforms. Saro has most recently photographed the feature film “Doctor, Doctor,” and is slated to photograph the action-thriller “Dead Man’s Game.”

As a director, Saro has directed five short films, a feature film, and a TV Pilot. Saro wrote, directed, and photographed the Indie feature Respite, which won him Best Director and Best Picture at the 2021 Golden Door International Film Festival and is available on most VOD platforms. His short film entitled, “After Water There is Sand,” which has screened at several International film festivals, including the 2013 International Golden Apricot Film Festival, the 2012 International Pomegranate Film Festival, the 2012 Arpa Film Festival, the 2013 Boston International Film Festival, the 2013 International Family Film Festival and the 2013 Women and Minorities in Media film festival. He recently produced “Driving the Green Book”, “Runner”, and “Right To Privacy”, which are award-winning short films currently making the festival rounds, and is developing the feature films entitled “New Hope” and “Evil Entanglement”. Saro is a recent Columbia MFA Graduate and has taught cinematography and directing at New York Film Academy.