Rufat Ray is a Film Director & Cinematographer from Baku, Azerbaijan, currently based in the United States. His debut short film The Well (2023) had its world premiere at the Cottbus International Film Festival in Germany and won Best Film, Golden Pomegranate Award at the 15th Baku International Film Festival. He also participated in the MPV Talents Nest program at the 2023 Vilnius International Film Festival in Lithuania. Rufat is currently pursuing an MFA in Film Production and Cinematography at Ohio University’s School of Film, under the mentorship of Palme d’Or–nominated director Rajko Grlić.