Navid Khonsari


Navid Khonsari is an Iranian–Canadian video game, virtual/mixed reality, film and graphic novel creator, writer, director and producer.

Early life

Khonsari was born in Montreal, Quebec, and was raised in his homeland Iran until 10. He left for Canada after the 1979 Revolution with his family. He graduated from the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Film School.

Career

Khonsari broke onto the gaming scene with his work on Grand Theft Auto III and Max Payne when he joined Rockstar Games in 2000.
His first short film was titled Arcade Angels, which focused on video game burnouts who robbed a video rental store in an attempt to open an arcade. He wrote and produced The Contract, his first film with Billy Dee Williams.
During his 5 years at Rockstar Games Khonsari worked on Grand Theft Auto III, ', ', Max Payne, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Midnight Club II, Manhunt, Red Dead Revolver, ', The Warriors, ' and '.
In 2006, he left Rockstar Games and has since worked on a number of games including Alan Wake and Homefront. He met his wife, Vassiliki, while directing the award-winning documentary Pindemonium. He co-founded iNK Stories and produced another documentary, "Pulling John", which premiered at South by Southwest. iNK Stories is presently completing a graphic novel titled Bedouin, and in 2016 launched '.
Khonsari often speaks and lectures on the convergence of technology and storytelling to incite empathy, challenge stereotypes of within mass media --- at venues such as Sundance, Hot Docs, DICE, Games For Change, FoST, Game Developers Conference, White House, Canadian Embassy, SXSW, VIEWS, NY Film Festival, UN and universities including Princeton, SCAD, Columbia, Northwestern. Khonsari is an advisor and fellow of the New Frontier Lab at the Sundance Institute and recipient of support from Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, IFP and Made in NY.

Works