Elias' passion for storytelling was kindled during his formative years in Oakland, California, and further refined during his tenure at the esteemed UCLA school of Theater, Film, and Television, where he specialized in directing and screenwriting. Throughout his academic journey, Elias garnered a plethora of prestigious awards and accolades, including the 2009 Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award, the Frank Glicksman Award for Artistic Merit in Film Directing, The Gross Manet Foundation Award for Professional Promise and Excellence in the field of Film Production, and the 2009 Motion Picture Association of America Award, among many others. Additionally, Elias was a semifinalist for the 2013 Sundance screenwriters lab.
Upon graduating from film school at the age of 22, Elias wrote, directed, produced, and edited the internationally acclaimed feature film "Against the Grain", which went on to captivate audiences worldwide. The film premiered at the 2012 Hollywood Black Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice Award and Jury Award. At the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, "Against the Grain" was awarded the Audience Favorite Narrative Award. Furthermore, Elias received the Special Grand Jury Award for Filmmaking at the Gasparilla International Film Festival and the coveted Ave' Montague Award at the San Francisco Black Film Festival.
On the international stage, "Against the Grain" was one of three films nominated for Best Diaspora Feature at the Africa Movie Academy Awards and screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France.
