About
An award-winning debut, decades in the making.
Hell Hath No Fury · Los Angeles premiere
Rustam Vekilov is an award-winning film director based in Los Angeles. His feature debut, the psychological thriller Hell Hath No Fury, premiered in Hollywood, was nominated for Best Director, Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay at the Arpa International Film Festival 2026, won Best Drama at the Los Angeles IFS Film Festival 2026, and is streaming on Prime Video and Tubi.
The film was shot from a 109-page script in nineteen days: multiple locations, an ensemble cast, and a supernatural-thriller concept executed well beyond its budget class. That discipline comes from fifteen years inside the pipeline: before directing features, Vekilov built a career as an editor and DI colorist, finishing work for Sony Music, Netflix, and Snapchat's Discover partner mitú, and cutting YouTube Red's first original feature, "A Trip to Unicorn Island," a Streamy Awards winner. He directs knowing exactly how a film gets finished.
His path started in physics at Istanbul's most prestigious university, until at 19 cinema won and he moved to Los Angeles. He trained at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, the school of Spielberg and Lucas, majoring in Film Production. Early set experience came fast: 2nd AD alongside Dave Franco and Emma Roberts on Cults' "Go Outside," and shooting for Vin Diesel on "The Ropes," co-directed by Diesel and Zoe Saldana.
He is currently developing his next slate of features: a psychological thriller, a romantic comedy, and a Christmas drama, among other stories best discussed in person. He develops and finishes his projects through Terra X Entertainment, LLC, his Los Angeles production and post-production house.
Currently seeking representation.
Collaborators
Word on set
"Ambition, passion and talent are the three words that immediately come to mind when I hear Rustam's name. I've been fortunate to work a handful of times with him, and each time he just gets better at what he naturally is: an amazing visionary and storyteller who knows how to move his audience."
Samba Schutte
Actor · 'Pluribus' (Apple TV+), 'Our Flag Means Death' (HBO Max)
"Wonderfully responsive and highly professional. The project was a success — creativity and great service."
Lika O (Lika Osipova)
Recording Artist & Producer · 3.4M followers; Founder, Miss Russian LA
"He knew exactly what I wanted for my music video and translated exactly what I meant into his own creative ideas. Rustam is a real passionate and a perfectionist — he will go very, very far."
Shana Pearson
Singer-Songwriter · 'Ignite'; Montreux Jazz Café, Cully Jazz Festival
"Rustam is one of my favorite people to work with. His excitement on and off set is contagious, and his sincerity is a rare asset to find in LA."
Tobias Deml
Cinematographer · Luc Besson's 'June & John'; Director, HBO Max's 'Gaming Wall Street'
Press
Interviews & coverage
CanvasRebel
EnglishMeet Rustam Vekilov
The five-year road to a feature debut, and the film slate that carried it.
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Media.az
RussianOn a Hollywood debut, inspiration, and the dream of filming in Azerbaijan
In-depth interview: 109 pages in 19 days, family legacy, and what comes next.
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AzerNews
EnglishFirst Azerbaijani director to premiere a feature film in Los Angeles
A milestone premiere in Hollywood.
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IndieWrap
English"Hell Hath No Fury," a riveting supernatural thriller
"Vekilov's visionary approach brings the screenplay to life."
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