Daryush Shokof, a multifaceted artist and filmmaker, left his native Iran in the 1970s to pursue his creative endeavors in the United States, adopting the alias AliReza Shokoufandeh.
After completing his studies in mathematics and physics at E.N.M.U., Shokof went on to earn a master's degree in management from the University of Dallas in Texas.
In the early 1980s, he relocated to Germany, where he dedicated himself to his art full-time, and it was during this period that he coined the term "maximalism" in the arts in 1990, a concept that would become a hallmark of his work.
Together with fellow artists, Shokof organized numerous exhibitions under the banner of the Maximalists at Gallery Schulze in Cologne, Germany, and the United States, showcasing his unique style to a broader audience.
Before establishing himself as a filmmaker, Shokof gained recognition as a scriptwriter, drawing inspiration from the works of renowned directors Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini. He would often adapt their stories, changing character names and situations, and present them to his father as his own creations, which led his father to believe he was a genius.
As Shokof's writing skills developed, he began to write at a level matching his idols from a young age of eleven. It wasn't until he was 42 years old that he penned a story that caught the attention of two legendary figures in cinema, Marlon Brando and Anthony Quinn, who both expressed interest in starring in his film, Seven Servants.
Quinn ultimately played the lead role alongside David Warner, who took on the part originally offered to Norman Mailer, who was so impressed with the story that he declined the role, citing that his acting abilities were not up to the task.
Over the next decade, Shokof went on to create more than 12 feature films and 10 short films, showcasing his originality in both writing and directing. Despite his impressive body of work, Shokof has never received funding or support from any official film industry companies or government agencies, and his movies have not been publicly released.
Despite these challenges, Shokof continues to create films under remarkable circumstances, a testament to his unwavering dedication to his craft, making his story a compelling one to be told.
