Hello,

My name is Waref, a Syrian-German filmmaker, animator, and visual artist based in Germany. I have been working in film and animation for over 15 years.

I started out as a graphic designer after completing a bachelor’s degree in art at Damascus University, but over time filmmaking became my main focus. In my professional work, I work with clear storytelling, thoughtful visuals, and reliable collaboration, while always looking for ways to push boundaries and create something distinctive without losing sight of the project’s goals. I work across directing, shooting, editing, and colour correction, either independently or with a trusted network of collaborators, depending on what a project requires.

Alongside this, I maintain an independent artistic practice driven by curiosity rather than briefs. These passion projects and visual experiments often explore themes of nostalgia, memory, identity, and displacement. Here, I allow myself more freedom in form and rhythm, experimenting with ways to blend camera work, animation, and post-production into something unique. Many of these visual art experiments live on Instagram.

Take a look around, and feel free to reach out.