Timur Bekmambetov

Timur Nuruakhitovich Bekmambetov is a Kazakh-born Russian film director, producer, screenwriter, and tech entrepreneur, best known for his work on the fantasy epic Night Watch (2004) and the action thriller Wanted (2008). He's also well-regarded for his pioneering advancements in screenlife films such as Unfriended (2015), Searching (2018), and Profile (2018). With a graduation in theater and cinema set design from the Alexander Ostrovsky Theatrical and Artistic Institute in 1987, he started his career late in the 1980s as a production designer. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, he moved from Uzbekistan to Moscow. He established his advertising and film production company Bazelevs, in 1994.

His directorial debut was Peshavar Waltz (1994) which was dubbed in English as Escape from Afghanistan. Bekmambetov's Hollywood directorial debut was Universal's action thriller Wanted (2008), an adaptation of a graphic novel series created by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones. The film, which starred Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman, grossed US$341 million worldwide. In 2021, he sold the Bazelevs film studio in Russia but will continue his involvement in the industry as a filmmaker and screenwriter. He's also a pioneer of the Screenlife filmmaking format, creating films entirely within the confines of computer screens and smartphones. His diverse body of work has earned him international recognition, including the 2012 International Filmmaker of the Year award by the National Association of Theatre Owners.