Roko Belic is a renowned Academy Award-nominated director, celebrated for his emotionally evocative films that transport viewers to exotic locations around the world.
Born in America to Czechoslovakian and Yugoslavian parents, Belic was raised in Evanston, Illinois, where his childhood fascination with non-fiction programs on the local PBS channel, courtesy of his mother's makeshift TV setup, sparked his passion for film.
Belic's first foray into filmmaking occurred in third grade, when he collaborated with his brother Adrian and friend Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception) to create a short film using a borrowed super-8 movie camera.
He went on to attend the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he studied studio arts and foreign languages. During his college years, Belic took a year-long hiatus to travel the world, immersing himself in various cultures and people that would later become the inspiration for his work.
Upon graduating, Belic and his brother co-founded the film production company Wadi Rum Films.
Belic's debut feature, Genghis Blues (1999),was inspired by a story unfolding in the lesser-known Siberian republic of Tuva. With his brother, he ventured to Tuva, purchasing two cameras on credit to create the documentary feature. Genghis Blues received an Academy Award nomination for best documentary feature and won over 70 international film festival awards, including the Sundance Audience Award.
Belic continued to explore global cinematic journeys, associate producing Beyond the Call (2006),which followed three American soldiers-turned-humanitarians as they delivered life-saving aid to war zones worldwide. The following year, he co-produced and shot the award-winning Indestructible (2007),filmed in locations spanning China to Israel, chronicling one man's quest for a cure for his terminal illness.
In 2010, Belic directed the documentary Dreams: Cinema Of The Subconscious, included on the Inception (2010) Blu-Ray. The success of this project led to his direction of The Batmobile, released on The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Blu-Ray.
For his next feature, Belic teamed up with director Tom Shadyac (Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar, The Nutty Professor) to create the documentary Happy (2012),which combines powerful human stories with cutting-edge science to explore the human desire for happiness. Happy won numerous awards and screened in 70 countries, achieving "All-Time Bestseller" status on iTunes.
Belic's recent work includes directing the feature documentary Trust Me.
As a sought-after consultant, Belic is recognized for his expertise in storytelling, authentic character development, and maximizing the emotional impact of a film.
