Salomon Ligthelm is a self-taught filmmaker whose international background shapes his distinctive, visual style. As the son of traveling missionaries, his international upbringing – a childhood spent in Johannesburg, Dubai, and Sydney – opened his eyes to the world and continues to greatly influence him to this day. His textural and experimental work finds new ways of exploring visual storytelling, always with a human story at its core.
His work has garnered recognition across the world, with multiple wins and nominations at Academy Qualifying Film Festivals for his short film MOEDER, inclusions in both the Saatchi & Saatchi and 1.4 New Directors Showcases, two Golds and three Silvers at the YDAs, a Gold Cannes Lion, multiple AICP wins with work featured at the MOMA, shortlists for Music Video of the Year at Shots, Best Alternative Video and Best New Director, with wins for Best Editing and Best Color Grading at the UKMVA’s, and a growing list of awards from the industry including the British Arrows, Cannes and D&AD.
In 2026, he was honored with the Music & Commercial Film Director Award at the 8th Annual Kodak Film Awards. The award served as recognition of his extraordinary talent and trailblazing creativity in the field of music and commercial films.
These honors are all the more extraordinary for a young director who is just four years into his commercial film career. His body of work includes short films such as “Rocket Wars,” which documents the stunning aerial fireworks battle of a Greek village, as well as commercials for Ford, Puma, Adidas, Activision, Top Boy, S7, and Valvoline, and music videos for artists like Prince, The Weeknd, Daughter, Bearcubs, and Young Fathers.
Salomon currently lives in New York City with his young family.
