Amar Somaroo
Biography
Amar Somaroo (born September 1, 1995) is a Dutch film director, writer, and editor of South Asian descent. His work explores themes of diaspora identity, migration, existentialism, and cultural fragmentation through visually immersive and psychologically driven storytelling. He is best known for the composite drama Cyanide (2021), the autobiographical documentary The Place I Call Home (2022), and the television pilot Exodus (2025). Born in The Hague to Indian-Surinamese parents, Somaroo developed a passion for storytelling during his early teens. In 2014, at the age of 18, he became one of the youngest published authors in Dutch history with the release of his debut fantasy novel The Redemption Tales: Tibet. After studying film directing and editing at Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam, he founded the production company Youth Novel Motions in 2017. Somaroo began his filmmaking career with the short film Feathers (2015) and later directed A Woman in Kurdistan (2017), exploring women’s freedoms in Kurdistan from a unique perspective. Alongside narrative filmmaking, he has directed commercial and corporate films for clients including the Dutch Ministry of Defense and worked on productions across South Asia and the Middle East. In 2022, The Place I Call Home was nominated for Best Documentary at the Septimius Awards, while both the documentary and Cyanide were acquired by Amazon Prime Video. In 2025, he developed and directed Exodus for Dutch public broadcasters NPO and VPRO, earning a nomination for Best Short Fiction at the Jaipur International Film Festival 2026.
Known For & Full Filmography4 Titles
Movie - 2015, 2h 15m • as Self
A house party spirals into chaos when a group of teenagers overdose, turning a night of freedom and escape into total collapse.
Movie - 2024, 2h 15m • as Self
In search of his ancestral roots, filmmaker Amar Somaroo explores the story of Dina Somaroo, a young boy from India deceived by colonial promises of prosperity in Suriname. Through archival footage and reflections from the Netherlands, the film examines the complex legacy of diaspora-displacement, fragmented identity, and the duality of belonging.
Movie - 2023, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
When Hindustani Milan develops feelings for Syrian refugee Ahmed, it puts a strain on his family life. Their differences in opinions and perspectives come to light when Milan chooses for himself. This leads to an explosive situation.
Movie - 2016, 2h 15m • as Lost Soul
A fractured soul, suspended between death and existence, drifts unnoticed through the world of the living while desperately clinging to fragments of identity, redemption, and the fading illusion of human connection.