Ashraf Ghori

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Ashraf Ghori
Ashraf Ghori 2010.jpg
Ashraf Ghori in Dubai, 2010
BornMohammed Ashraf Ghori
(1973-09-17) 17 September 1973 (age 50)
Hyderabad, India
NationalityIndian
Area(s)Filmmaker, director, comic book artist, entrepreneur, philanthropist
Notable works
 Xero Error , Antara
Awards World Economic Forum – Excellence Award, 2015
Herald Global & ERTC Media – The Industry's No. 1 Award in Art, 2024
Digital Studio Awards – Best Upcoming Filmmaker, 2011
Made in UAE Awards – Distinguished Achievement Award, 2011
https://www.ashrafghori.com

Mohammed Ashraf Ghori (born 17 September 1973), is a Dubai-based Indian comic book artist, filmmaker and entrepreneur. [1] [2] He is best known for creating UAE's first CGI science fiction film Xero Error [3] [4] [5] [6] a futuristic cyborg thriller [7] which was shown at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival. [8] [9] and as the artist behind UAE's acclaimed Arabic Graphic Novel Antara. [10] He is the CEO and founder of digital design agency Xpanse CGI.

Contents

Early life and professional career

Ghori moved from Hyderabad, India to Dubai, UAE at the age of 2. [5] [11] His first professional work appeared in the pages of magazines published by Khaleej Times . He was a regular illustrator for Young Times from 1989 until 2001. [12] Ghori graduated from the University of Houston, Texas in 1994. [13]

Ghori was on the judges panel for the Kuwait Arab Advertising Awards for the years 2006 and 2007.[ citation needed ]

In 2007, he founded digital creative agency Xpanse CGI in Dubai and started independent film-making with Xero Error in 2008. [14] [15] Xero Error premiered at the 3rd Gulf Film Festival [16] [17] and also played at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival and the 10th edition of Sci-Fi-London. [18] In 2010, Ghori was the Art Director for the first Indo-Emirati film 'Malal'. [19] He worked as Senior Digital Artist at Bayyinah TV from 2016 to 2017. [20] [21] Ghori received the UAE Golden Visa in 2022 in recognition of his creative achievements in the country.[ citation needed ]

Artist

Ghori has produced work for comic book publishers including Dark Horse Comics and IDW Publishing. [22]

San Jacinto College in Pasadena Texas had organized a Comic Art Exhibit of Ghori's works in 1993. In 1994, Ghori was a founding member of Tempest Comics in Houston, Texas, and produced a 4-issue mini series 'Tempest Comics Presents'. [12] [23] He was a featured comic artist at Dallas Fantasy Fair, 1994 (Dallas, Texas). [24]

In April 2012, Ghori was a featured guest, along with Alvin Lee, Lee Townsend and Yishan Li at the first MEFCC - Middle East Film and Comic Con in Dubai, UAE, and at the Middle East's inaugural IGN Convention in July 2013. [25] In 2013 Ghori was a contributing artist for Dark Horse Comics in collaboration with writer Alex De Campi. [26]

In 2015 Ghori collaborated with Arab rapper Narcy_(rapper) to create a mixed-media project called World War Free Now which combined music, video, and comics together. [27] A limited edition comic was released as a companion piece to Narcy's album. [28] In 2018 his work on Arabic graphic novel 'Antara' received critical acclaim as 'An Experiment Worthy of Praise' citing 'the versatility and sheer genius of the artist'. [29] [30] [31] [32]

In 2023, Ghori was named as the Arts Ambassador for The Metaverse Arts Museum. [33]

Social media influencer

Ghori is ranked as a prominent social media influencer in the UAE. [34] [35] From 2011 to 2014, Ghori was the featured art influencer for Samsung's Note series. [36] In April 2014 Ghori was the social media ambassador for Ford Middle East's 'Stand Out' campaign for the MENA region [37] and again in 2015 to promote The Ford Mustang 2016 in the #ExperienceFord Social Media Campaign. [38] In April 2016, he was the face of Microsoft's #DoGreatThingsDXB Campaign to promote Windows 10 and launch Microsoft Surface Pro 4 in the Gulf. [39] [40] [41] [42]

He is a frequent speaker at events related to design, film and entrepreneurship in the UAE. [43] [44]

Awards


Ashraf Ghori at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival red carpet Ghori at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival.jpg
Ashraf Ghori at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival red carpet

Filmography

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References

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  2. ↑ "SME Stars of Business 2010". Cpidubai.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "'Error' in judgment: Dubai weighs CGI" Liza Foreman, AP. Published on AllBusiness.com
  4. ↑ LEVITY - XERO ERROR MINUS 1. CG Record. 6 April 2010
  5. 1 2 "Ashraf Ghori interview on". Wearethemovies.com. 19 August 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "Future of Arab Cinema – Gulf Film Festival". Gulfnews.com. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  7. ↑ Adams, Gaar (May 2015). "Sci-Fi City". Slate.
  8. ↑ "Ashraf Ghori on Levity: Xero-Error Minus 1". Doha Film Institute. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  9. 1 2 Digital Production Middle East Staff. "Digital Studio Awards 2011 – Winners revealed". Digitalproductionme.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
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  12. 1 2 Muby Asger (16 December 2010). "No room for error for Ashraf Ghori". GulfNews. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
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  18. ↑ "10th SCI-FI LONDON Programme". Sci-fi-london.com. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
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  20. ↑ "World Art Dubai officially opens". www.tradearabia.com. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
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  23. ↑ "Tempest Comics on Mile High Comics". Milehighcomics.com. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
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  30. ↑ "UAE's Kalimat to launch first Arabic graphic novel". Arabian Business. arabianbusiness.com. 5 April 2018.
  31. ↑ "Antara, super-héros arabe, en bande dessinée". France 24 (in French). 9 October 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  32. ↑ "Antara, personnage légendaire arabe, devient un héros de bande dessinée". rts.ch (in French). 11 October 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  33. ↑ "UAE's Metaverse Arts Museum launched on the Sandbox". thebrewnews.com. March 2023.
  34. ↑ Alice Haine. "Meet the Twitterati (The National)". Thenational.ae. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  35. ↑ Tom Norton. "The Social Network (Esquire Middle East)". esquireme.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  36. ↑ "Ashraf Ghori: Ink: The Journey of a Lifetime". creativemornings.com. 22 March 2015.
  37. ↑ "An Interview with Ashraf Ghori". Ford Middle East. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  38. ↑ Ford Middle East. "#ExperienceFord Campaign" . Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  39. ↑ Trade Arabia News Service. "Arts, culture 'essential to intellectual development'". TradeArabia.com. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
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  45. ↑ "Mr. Saimik Sen Editor-in-Chief of Herald Global Felicitated Pride of UAE and Prestigious Brands of Asia at the Global Business Symposium 2024, Dubai, UAE". business.indianews.in. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
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  47. ↑ "The Social Network". Esquire.com. 15 December 2014.
  48. ↑ "Digital Studio Awards 2011 – Best filmmaker of the year". Digitalproductionme.com. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
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