Abraham Adnan Rasheed Alzubaidy is an Iraqi-American actor, independent filmmaker, and storyteller whose life and career reflect resilience, creativity, and a deep commitment to truth through cinema. Born on March 17, 1978, in Kut, Wasit Governorate, Iraq, he later pursued higher education in the United States, graduating in 2018 with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts (Film Production and Screenwriting) from California State University, Northridge. Fluent in Arabic across four dialects—Iraqi, Syrian, Egyptian, and Gulf—Alzubaidy brings a rare cultural versatility to his work.

Early Artistic Roots

From an early age, Ibraham demonstrated artistic talent, particularly in painting. As a child, he won numerous awards for landscape painting, using color, light, and unconventional perspectives to capture his subjects. His childhood dream was to study at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baghdad, but economic hardship redirected him to the Faculty of Technology, where he graduated in 1998 as an electronic teacher. Despite this path, his passion for storytelling through art never faded.

Shaping Vision Through Experience

Growing up during the Iran-Iraq War deeply influenced his creative vision. At the age of five, he survived an Iranian air raid on his hometown, an experience that left a lasting imprint. He transformed these fears and observations into stories and sketches, one of which became his first comic magazine in 1988, The Case of an Iraqi Soldier. Although written with humor, the story carried profound themes of loss, betrayal, and resilience. Due to the political climate under Saddam Hussein’s regime, he was forced to destroy many of his early works, but he has since revived these stories as scripts for short films and documentaries.

The Camera as Witness

In 1990, Ibraham obtained his first camera and began documenting daily life during the Gulf War. Within six months, he had captured more than 1,000 photographs, portraying the emotions of Iraqi civilians under war. This experience solidified his lifelong bond with the camera, which became both a tool of witness and a vehicle for artistic expression.

Writing and Filmmaking in Wartime

Years of war and hardship fueled Ibraham’s imagination and storytelling. His screenplays often highlight wartime conflict, focusing not only on Iraqi struggles but also on the heroism and humanity of American soldiers. Inspired by his years working alongside U.S. forces, he wrote stories of Iraqi translators, intelligence officers, and snipers caught between cultures and loyalties during the 2003 Iraq War. His personal loyalty to the U.S. military was born from seven years of service as a cultural and language adviser, a role that placed him under constant threat from militias and extremist groups.

Journey to the United States

In 2011, after years of threats and hardship, Ibraham relocated to the United States. America became both his sanctuary and his second home—a place where he could finally live in freedom and peace. Soon after, he began working with U.S. Special Forces and the U.S. Marines as a cultural adviser, while also contributing to American television series and films as a consultant on language, culture, and authenticity.

Present and Future

Today, Ibraham Alzubaidy continues to pursue his childhood dream: creating films that bridge cultures and illuminate untold stories. Drawing from his personal history, artistic background, and cinematic training, he seeks to produce films in Hollywood that will resonate worldwide and bring Iraqi and Middle Eastern narratives to the global stage.