Ari Sandel

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Ari Sandel is the director of the short film, West Bank Story, which won the 2005 Academy Award in the category Best Short Film (Live Action).

Sandel was raised in Calabasas, California and studied Media Arts at the University of Arizona in Tucson where he also received a special certificate in Middle Eastern Studies. He went on to earn his Directing M.F.A. from the University of Southern California's school of Cinema-Television. West Bank Story premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has screened at over one hundred fifty film festivals worldwide, winning prizes from 30.

Sandel also directed a 2006 documentary, Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

In addition to film making, Sandel has also traveled in Europe, Asia, South America and extensively throughout the Middle East including Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Turkey, and Dubai and is very involved with various political organizations with interests in the region.