ARI MEI-DAN

photo by lou magliano.

Ari Mei-Dan is quite the unconventional artist. But let’s start from the basics…

An Israeli-American photographer & filmmaker based on Long Island, New York, Ari’s work is driven by the desire to put intimate yet powerful stories front-and-centre. Ari is first and foremost an immigrant — having lived in five countries by the age of eight and speaking two languages by the age of six — and it is such that her love for telling the most human stories ever was born. What makes people people? What makes a community? No two stories are the same, and to bring a single one to life is so much fun.

Graduating from Emerson College with a B.A. in film production in 2026, Ari also boasts focuses in documentary filmmaking and political science. It is at Emerson that Ari took on various roles on over 25 different student film productions, but she has most prominently found herself working as a director, cinematographer, colorist, and photographer. She is happiest working with a camera then seeing results coming to life in post-production. In her opinion, the two often come hand-in-hand. Perhaps that comes from her beginnings as a film photographer, hunching over negatives in a darkroom and seeing the 35mm film come to life in development.

And let’s not forget her upbringing as a musician as well — a jazz-trained bassist and avid Beatles lover — which has consistently drawn Ari back to music. Whether it be music videos or concert photography or whatever else, this music-film intersection is where she feels right at home. Now, Ari’s focuses are grounded in people-rooted stories and music-based media. She is constantly on the hunt for challenging and hard-hitting projects to tackle.

For collaborations and inquiries:

Instagram: @arimeidanfilm

Email: arimeidanfilm@gmail.com

Resume

10 questions with ari mei-dan — al-tiba9 contemporary art

al-tiba9 issue19 print magazine

outstanding creative photo series nominee — the 45th evvy awards

noga erez at union stage — sound stage magazine

catie turner at the atlantis — sound stage magazine

stacey ryan at the atlantis — sound stage magazine

lake street dive at mgm music hall — five cent sound