Darius Shu is a writer-director who loves telling captivating narratives through the power of poetic visual storytelling.  

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With a profound love for arthouse films and an unwavering belief in the mantra of 'show... don't tell,' Darius crafts cinematic experiences that linger in the hearts and minds of audiences long after the credits roll.

 

His work is characterised by richly textured imagery, paintings inspired and masterfully marries striking visuals with the evocative use of music and sound, creating a symphony of sensory delights that immerses viewers in his stories.

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Darius channels the power of visual storytelling to create positive representation in film & TV, driving societal conversations by incorporating social awareness and surrealism elements in his films and striving to illuminate the visual narrative to complement the story.  He is drawn to stories that depict the existential exploration of identity, humanity and social construct and is always fascinated to create something fresh out of something ordinary. He often infuses his characters with a presence of anxiety and be morally ambiguous. His films boldly tackle polarising socio-modern issues, pushing boundaries and challenging preconceived notions.

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Darius's slate of award-winning projects includes a poetic psychological thriller short film His Hands, nominated for Best Narrative at Tribeca Film Festival 2019. Mark Gatiss hailed the film as ‘A beguilingly beautiful gem’. His second film I AM Norman, a fictional documentary thriller premiered at Rhode Island International Film Festival 2020 and received acclaimed reviews from HeyUGuys calling it a 'Masterpiece'. Both films are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

 

With his extensive seven years of background as a cinematographer and a producer across a slate of genres, notably, the TV documentary "Always, Asifa," which he filmed, received a nomination at the BAFTA TV Awards in 2023. It also premiered at BFI London Film Festival 2022 and is now streaming on ITVX and Sky TV. He is currently involved in producing Sky Yang's latest short film, The White Hart, where he also served as the cinematographer.

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He produced and shot the critically acclaimed musical-drama film Queer Parivaar, which won the BAFTA-qualifying 'Best British Film' award at Iris Prize 2022, had its World Premiere at BFI Flare 2022 and Outfest LA, and was selected at over 20 international film festivals. Now streaming on Channel 4.

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Darius also filmed a Netflix documentary, Peach Paradise which premiered on Tik Tok's first-ever live-stream showcase and was nominated for Best International at Iris Prize 2022. In 2021, He co-produced Mical, a dyslexia film with over 1.7 million views on Youtube.

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He has had the privilege of collaborating with a stellar roster of artists, such as Tim McInnerny, Léa Seydoux, Lily James, Gemma Chan, Tia Kofi, The Vivienne, Omari Douglas, Kaya Scodelario, Big Zuu, and Dominic Cooper. Darius is the founder of the arthouse production company Silverprince Pictures.

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