Valerian Zamel is a writer, director, and award-winning editor whose work blends emotional intensity with striking, immersive visuals. Born in Russia, raised in Israel, and immigrating to the United States as a teenager, his multicultural background informs stories that explore grief, identity, and the ghosts we carry.
Valerian’s short films have screened at festivals including SXSW, HollyShorts, and Telluride Horror Show. His most recent proof-of-concept short, Light Bunny, is currently on the festival circuit, with selections at HollyShorts, Credo23, the San Diego Black Film Festival, and more.
He currently leads editorial at Tim Miller’s Blur Studio, where he has worked on the studio’s most ambitious projects - including the Emmy-winning Love, Death & Robots, for which he won an Annie Award for Best Editorial. He also edited the horror feature Curse of the Sin Eater, as well as trailers and branded content for studios like Amazon and Netflix, and game companies including Riot Games and Epic Games, with credits ranging from Call of Duty and Gears of War to Valorant and Fortnite.
Body and Blood marks his debut feature: a deeply personal, atmospheric horror film that expands on the visual and sonic storytelling explored in Light Bunny. With longtime collaborators in sound, music, cinematography, and cast returning, Valerian is building a world that’s as emotionally grounded as it is haunting. He believes horror is one of cinema’s most poetic forms, a space to explore emotional truths in their most extreme, honest expression.