Directing
Latakia, Syria
Ashraf Nahlous (born January 31, 2001, Syria) is a Dubai-based writer-director known for dialogue-driven narrative work across short films, branded storytelling, and vertical micro drama.
His short film This Is Love Too received multiple awards and nominations, and was covered by Khaleej Times and featured on Met Radio’s Morning Mixtape. He made his directorial debut with Are You the Rat?, a neo-noir short that serves as a proof-of-concept for his feature project Yet... Another Gangster Movie. He also created The Dubai Tapes, a branded series of cinematic short-form skits produced with a 20+ person cast and crew.
In 2026, Nahlous founded the Dubai Creatives Community Program, a grassroots filmmaking network in Dubai that has grown to 300+ members. Through the program, the community produces short projects on a rapid schedule, completing four productions in two months and creating an ongoing pipeline for emerging actors and crew to collaborate and build credits.
He is currently developing Kingston, a vertical micro drama series described as "Succession meets Suits," as well as projects including The Man Who Knows Everyone and Dear Devil, Hope You’re Doing Well. Beyond film, he wrote the narrative for Ocean Quest VR, an immersive experience commissioned by the University of Salford that received major recognition including Excellence in Virtual Reality (MediaCity UK) and a Highly Commended mention at the Signature Awards 2025