We recently connected with MJ Golzari and have shared our conversation below.

MJ , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

My filmmaking journey began unconventionally. I started taking photographs with my father’s film camera when I was just 10 years old, which sparked my interest in visual storytelling. However, due to financial challenges, I initially pursued a degree in engineering. Still, my passion for cinema grew stronger over time and eventually took over the direction of my life. I began learning the craft hands-on—by working on as many projects as I could, often in different roles, from BTS videography to directing and cinematography. This practical experience became my informal education.
Looking back, I believe having access to formal academic training earlier could have accelerated my learning. That’s one reason I’m now pursuing my Master of Fine Arts in Film at Ohio University—to deepen my understanding, refine my technique, and connect theory with practice.
Among the most essential skills, I’d say being a responsible and collaborative team member is at the top. Filmmaking is inherently a collective art form—it thrives on synergy, communication, and mutual respect. When combined with creativity and a strong personal vision, this mindset not only helps a project succeed but also opens doors to meaningful collaborations and growth. One of the biggest obstacles I faced was the lack of resources and guidance early on, but those challenges taught me to be resourceful, adaptive, and persistent—traits that continue to serve me well.

MJ , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I come from a diverse background in the film industry, having worked in various roles such as assistant editor, editor, cinematographer, writer, and director. This multifaceted experience shaped the artist I am today. I began my professional journey editing films, series, and television shows, which gave me a deep understanding of narrative flow, pacing, and rhythm. From there, I branched out into directing commercials, documentaries, video art, and music videos—each format teaching me something new about visual language and emotional resonance.

Today, I’m channeling all those experiences into creating independent short films that are both personal and poetic. I’m currently pursuing my Master of Fine Arts in Film at Ohio University, where I’ve been able to explore more narrative-driven forms while maintaining a strong experimental and metaphoric approach.

My first independent short film, PLACENTA, was a deeply personal and experimental work that went on to receive international recognition and several awards. That project gave me the confidence to fully embrace my own voice as a filmmaker. My second short, ROUTINE, created as part of my graduate studies, explored structured storytelling in a more narrative format. I’m currently working on PIN, a short film that merges metaphor, memory, and poetic realism—what I consider my true storytelling style.
What sets me apart is the combination of creative and technical fluency across different departments of filmmaking. My background in editing allows me to visualize the entire arc of the film from the scriptwriting phase, while my experience in cinematography and photography helps me collaborate more effectively with visual departments to execute the desired tone and aesthetic. I approach each project holistically, seeing not just the frame but the feeling behind it.

Another strength of mine is visual storytelling. Most of my films are told without dialogue because I deeply believe that images alone can be powerful enough to carry the full emotional and narrative weight of a story—if we, as viewers, are curious enough to truly look. I trust the audience’s intelligence and sensitivity, and I aim to craft visuals that speak directly to the subconscious, inviting interpretation and emotional engagement without relying on exposition.

Ultimately, my goal as a filmmaker is to create works that evoke a poetic response—films that linger in the mind and provoke reflection long after they’re over. If someone walks away from one of my films feeling something they can’t quite articulate, then I know I’ve succeeded.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes—there is a clear mission at the heart of my creative journey. For me, cinema is more than just storytelling; it’s a medium of awareness. I believe in using film to explore and reflect human actuality—to remind people of what it means to feel, to question, and to exist in a shared emotional world. My goal is to create work that resonates beyond the surface, that invites reflection and connects people through the depth of their own lived experiences.
Cinema has the power to unite us in silence, in metaphor, and in feeling. I try to use this language to express my own thoughts, memories, and way of seeing the world. I believe I have stories that can speak across borders—not necessarily through dialogue, but through emotion, imagery, and human truth.
I’ve dedicated years to finding a voice that feels honest about who I am. My films often avoid words, not because I don’t value them, but because I trust the image to carry what can’t always be explained. My mission is to evoke—to stir something lasting in the viewer that lingers long after the film ends.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is the moment when something internal—something deeply personal, abstract, or even unexplainable—finds its form in an image, a cut, or a scene. It’s that quiet but powerful transformation of feeling into form. There’s a certain relief in it. A kind of emotional clarity.
I don’t create for instant recognition or mass approval. What drives me is the possibility that a single viewer might connect with the work on a level beyond words—that they’ll feel something they didn’t expect, or leave with a question that lingers. That moment of connection, even if silent and invisible, is everything.
I also find reward in the process itself. Filmmaking is a ritual of precision and chaos—where planning meets unpredictability, and every project tests your limits, your patience, and your intuition. It forces you to grow. And that constant search—for the right image, the right silence, the right rhythm—keeps me alive as an artist.
In the end, what fulfills me is not just making something beautiful, but making something true. Something honest. Something that might stay with someone, the way certain films or images have stayed with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mjgolzari.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mj.golzari/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mj-golzari-6b066070/

Image Credits

Fine Art Photographs by MJ Golzari