Marius Van Graan
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Marius Werner van Graan is a South African director, cinematographer, and investigative documentary filmmaker with more than two decades of experience working across Africa and Europe. His work is driven by a deep curiosity about the human condition, particularly in places shaped by conflict, political tension, and environmental crisis.
He is the co-founder of Zakuna Pictures and has led and shot award-winning feature documentaries and series, earning recognition including multiple SAFTA Awards for Best Cinematography. His recent films focus on the war in Ukraine, documenting ecocide, frontline medics, and the resilience of civilians defending both their country and their natural world. His visual style blends cinematic scale with intimate human storytelling, often placing the camera close to those living at the edge of history.
Marius has worked in conflict and humanitarian contexts for nearly 20 years, bringing a grounded, field-based approach to investigative storytelling. Whether documenting conservation models in Kenya, frontline realities in Eastern Europe, or complex political histories in Southern Africa, his work seeks truth with clarity, moral conviction, and visual precision.
He is currently developing multiple international documentary projects exploring war, ecology, justice, and the evolving future of warfare.
- Advertising
- Conflict
- Corporate
- Environment
- Landscape
- Military embed
- Portrait
- RC aerial
- Underwater
- Video capture
- Video editing
- Wildlife
