Today we’d like to introduce you to Ajijul Hasan Surzo.
Hi Ajijul Hasan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My filmmaking journey began at 17 when my first documentary, The Auxiliary Verb, offered an honest look at child labor in Bangladesh. It was selected for the International Children’s Film Festival Dhaka in 2017. This recognition at such a young age, along with the film’s later success at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival, reinforced my belief in cinema’s ability to inspire social change.
Eager to hone my skills, I moved to India for formal film education. While studying at West Bengal University of Technology, I made a name for myself as both a director and cinematographer. I developed the visual storytelling skills that define my work today. After graduation, I returned to Bangladesh and shifted into editing and post-production supervision. I worked on popular TV shows. In just six months, I became a very busy editor in the country’s competitive media industry.
However, my ambitions extended beyond borders. I left my successful career to dive into Hollywood’s film culture, where I was chosen for the Golden Globe Fellowship program. As a fellow, I served as director of photography on recognized projects like Emily’s Night Out and The Powder Room. I learned to express complex emotions through visual storytelling using light and movement. During this period, my work began to gain international attention. Bubbles won Best Comedy at the Mannheim Arts and Film Festival and Best Feature at the Golden Nugget International Film Festival, while my feature D was showcased at the Kolkata International Film Festival.
These experiences across film industries in three countries shaped my unique perspective. Today, as the founder of Craft Films LA, I balance multiple creative roles. I produce and direct new projects like the human rights feature Fields of Freedom while also operating the camera and editing when needed. I have applied everything I’ve learned to create a company that provides real opportunities for emerging filmmakers, just as I once helped my classmates find professional work in India and Bangladesh.
Having seen firsthand how tough it is to enter this industry, I am committed to making the path easier for the next generation. Whether through my own films that continue to screen at festivals worldwide or through Craft Films LA’s innovative model that connects talented filmmakers with meaningful projects, my mission remains clear: to tell stories that matter while building a more fair future for our industry.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey has involved significant sacrifices, none greater than those made by my mother. As a young Bangladeshi filmmaker from a conservative Muslim family, I faced not only the creative challenges of my craft but also the heavy burden of my father’s belief that cinema went against our faith. For eight difficult years, my mother stayed away from her husband to protect my dreams. She became my only supporter while our community viewed my passion as shameful.
The difficulties in Hollywood, working on a PA’s salary and defending my visual style when producers called Emily’s Night Out ‘too poetic,’ felt minor compared to that deeper loneliness. However, something amazing happened when my work started screening at festivals like Dadasaheb Phalke and Mannheim, and when Hollywood trade publications recognized it. Major Bangladeshi media, perhaps surprised by my international success, finally acknowledged my journey. Those articles did what I couldn’t; they softened my father’s views.
Today, the separation has ended. My mother, the driving force behind every frame I’ve shot, is finally getting the recognition she deserves at home. This reconciliation inspires Craft Films LA’s mission: to ensure no artist has to choose between their family and their passion. Every project we produce, from Fields of Freedom to our commercial work, carries her lesson—that true success isn’t about awards or accolades, but the ability to honor your roots while reaching new heights.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work sits at the intersection of cultural storytelling and technical precision. As a director and cinematographer, I create visual narratives that not only span borders but also break them down. Whether I’m working on a human rights feature, a Golden Globe fellowship short film, or a national commercial, I always focus on genuine emotions.
What defines my work is a commitment to the hidden layers of storytelling. My cinematography, honed through years of editing and post-production experience, emphasizes what occurs between the frames as much as the frames themselves. This technical closeness allows me to direct with a cinematographer’s perspective and edit with a director’s vision. This unique combination of skills affects every project I undertake.
I take pride in the risks I embrace, not only in the subjects I choose but also in their forms. Bubbles wasn’t just a comedy; it was a creative push against the seriousness found in traditional European cinema. Fields of Freedom isn’t just a film; it’s a model that elevates marginalized voices both on screen and behind the scenes. Craft Films LA isn’t just a company; it shows that ethical filmmaking can succeed at scale.
What sets me apart is not just my experience across three continents. It’s also the impact I’ve made in each place. From the indie scene in Dhaka to Hollywood’s studio lots, my legacy is reflected in the opportunities I’ve created for others while staying true to the visual style that defines my work.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My journey as a filmmaker is not just my own; it includes the sacrifices and support of those who believed in me when the path seemed impossible. Surviving in one of the world’s most expensive cities while pursuing this dream required more than talent. It took relentless perseverance through sleepless nights, financial struggles, and moments of doubt. But I never walked alone.
First, my mother in Bangladesh stood courageously against our conservative family. She separated from my father for eight years to protect my dreams, and her actions became my moral compass. Then, there’s my wife, Rummana Tasneem Raida. Her remarkable sacrifice meant we spent three years apart, living on different continents, while we built our careers and education. Her unwavering belief during those lonely years has been my greatest source of strength.
In Hollywood, mentors like Christopher Rossiter, Krystle Klein, and Jen Vaughn became my guiding lights. Christopher taught me set leadership, Krystle showed me the business side of art, and Jen changed my approach to visual storytelling during my Golden Globe Fellowship. The Fellowship itself offered validation and a creative community when I needed it most.
Now at Craft Films LA, my co-founder Maria Salinger and I use these lessons to create opportunities we wish we had. From our ethical business model to our filmmaker-first approach, everything we do honors those who lifted us up—whether it’s my mother’s bravery, Raida’s sacrifice, or my mentors’ wisdom. True success isn’t measured in awards or box office numbers, but in how many doors we can hold open for those coming after us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecraftfilms.com
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12561637/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_2_nm_6_q_ajijul
Image Credits
All image rights are owned by Craft Films LA, and Voyage LA has full permission to use these images for this feature.”
— Ajijul Hasan Surzo (Director & CEO, Craft Films LA)
