Ovidio Salazar is an award-winning director with over 40 years of experience in filmmaking. Originally from Santa Monica, California, he began his studies in theater and comparative religion. To advance his knowledge, he traveled to Europe and then later the Near and Middle East, studying in Paris, Istanbul, Cairo and London. For several years he documented the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques project in Makkah and Madinah, before becoming Series Producer on the Faces of Islam series for the BBC. He has directed several films on the Hajj including segments of the IMAX production Journey to Mecca – In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta’, Hajj – Journey of a Lifetime (BBC) and Circling the House of God. His films have been screened worldwide, winning numerous awards and he has served as a jury member for many international film festivals.