Born in 1999 in Cizre, Ali Bagdu began his visual storytelling journey through
photography at an early age, later transitioning into videography and directing. His
work focuses on stories from underrepresented regions, communities, and emotional
landscapes.
Through projects filmed in Şırnak, Hakkâri, Van, Diyarbakır, Ağrı, and Varto, he has
developed a visual approach rooted in place and lived experience. His work engages
with the dengbêj tradition — a form of Kurdish oral storytelling — approaching it
through a contemporary cinematic language and contributing to its documentation
and continuity.
Alongside his documentary practice, he has collaborated with various musicians and
artists, directing music videos that explore the intersection of sound, identity, and
image.
His latest feature-length documentary Dengbêjên Me (2025) focuses on preserving
and transmitting this oral storytelling tradition to future generations.
