Giovanni Zelko

AWARDS: BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST EDITOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Filmmaker Giovanni Zelko released his first feature "THE ALGERIAN" as a limited theatrical release across the U.S. in 2015, and worldwide as "Sleeper Cell: The Algerian" in 2019. He wrote, directed, edited, executive produced and co-shot this acclaimed international political thriller which was filmed on two continents and in 6 cities with a diverse cast. For his efforts, this powerful film won him Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editor and Best Cinematography awards, as well as a Best Thriller, an Audience Choice and three Best Picture awards at International Film Festivals in the United States and Europe. In addition to winning the Grand Prize International Vision award at the prestigious Rhode Island International Film Festival, he was also nominated for two further Best Director awards and two Best Picture awards at other festivals. THE ALGERIAN also won members of his cast and crew Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Score, Best Cinematography, Best Stunts and Best Sound Design awards. Zelko is also the executive producer and second unit director/cinematographer of H4, a Shakespeare film adaptation of Henry IV, and has Executive Produced, directed, shot and edited three Travel-Leisure documentaries. In 2021, he was an Executive Producer of "3 Tickets To Paradise," a neo-western feature released by Lionsgate. During the past twenty five years as a crew member, Zelko has worked over forty five thousand hours in Hollywood on movies, television, commercials and music videos as an IATSE Set Lighting Technician, learning hands on from the best of the best. The son of European immigrants, Zelko was born and raised in New York while spending numerous summers in his parents' native countries of Italy and Slovenia, giving him a unique mixture of European and American sensibilities that are pronounced in his various works as an artist. He was educated at Boston University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science for Film (see his book on film theory, LIVING THE DREAM,) and a Minor of Arts for English Literature, (see his book of poetry, BODY OF POETRY.) During his four years at Boston University, he also pursued studies in history, where his field of concentration was European Medieval History. An accomplished photographer and painter, Zelko has created commercial work as well as fine-art gallery work including large-scale mixed medium paintings. A world traveler, Zelko has explored 55 countries around the globe, aiding his pursuit of experiencing far-reaching cultures, art and people. His passion for filmmaking began to blossom at a very early age as a freshman in high school where he first started shooting 8mm stop-animation films and began editing. He had a part-time job at a video store while in high school where he voraciously watched every movie he could get his hands on. His enthusiasm for filmmaking produced two early films, BLOODLINE and MY SHADOW. At the age of 16, Zelko wrote, directed, produced, starred in, shot, stunt-coordinated, costumed, sound scored and edited the 45 minute BLOODLINE, a short film about vampires that he shot on a VHS camcorder. This early film along with his academic excellence helped earn him a scholastic grant to Boston University. Once there, Zelko wrote, directed, produced, shot and edited MY SHADOW, an 8 ½ minute long 16mm film. This second film helped him acquire his internship in Los Angeles at Roger Corman Studios in 1995, which began his film career in earnest. During the past twenty three years, Zelko has logged over forty thousand hours on sets for some of the world's greatest directors, actors and performers, including James Cameron, David Fincher, Sam Raimi, Christopher Nolan, Barry Levinson, Michael Mann, John Frankenheimer, Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Harrison Ford, Al Pacino, Garry Oldman, Bruce Willis, Will Smith, Mat Damon, Billy Bob Thorton, Bill Murray, Michael Cain, Tim Robbins, Martin Sheen, Vin Diesel, Jack Black, Dan Aykroid, Randy Quaid, Alec Baldwin, Ben Stiller, Patrick Stewart, Harry Lennix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John Goodman, Danny Devito, Tom Selleck, Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Sam Worthington, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Angelina Jolie, Zoe Saldana, Faye Dunaway, Kate Blanchet, Susan Sarrandon, Glen Close, Jennifer Aniston, Sigourney Weaver, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, Amanda Peet, Julia Stiles, Michelle Rodriguez and Madonna.