Aqsa Altaf and John X. Carey are a Los Angeles–based writer-director duo known for emotionally resonant films and commercials that fuse distinct lived perspectives with a shared commitment to human-first storytelling. Their work is grounded, visually rich, and driven by character.

Aqsa’s voice is shaped by her upbringing as the daughter of South Asian Muslim migrant workers in Kuwait and her immigration to the U.S. in 2013, giving her work a deep sensitivity to displacement, belonging, and cultural nuance. John’s perspective is rooted in a literary, humanistic lens informed by his Midwestern upbringing—growing up in a small Ozark town as the son of writers who left the city to live off the land.

John rose to prominence directing Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches, which became the most-viewed internet commercial of all time, earning over 150 million views in its first month, multiple Cannes Lions including a Titanium Grand Prix, and a DGA Best Director nomination. Aqsa, a Sundance Fellow, wrote and directed American Eid for Disney’s Launchpad series, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and is currently streaming on Disney+.

Together, they have crafted award-winning work for brands including Apple, Under Armour, Guinness, Coca-Cola and Gatorade. Their campaigns have consistently earned multiple Cannes Lions, along with top honors from D&AD, The One Show, Clio Awards, and AICP Awards. With each campaign they helm, they push the boundaries of what advertising can be—reimagining form, tone, and storytelling to better connect with audiences in the world we live in today.

In narrative, their SXSW-premiering short Awayy and their feature Mirage—supported by Sundance and selected for the Gotham Film Market—are both in development. Their short film Heat was previously developed by Amazon Studios as a television series.

Check out their individual websites: Aqsa Altaf and John X. Carey 

FEATURE FILM & TV REPRESENTATION

UTA | Jason Burns
Linden Entertainment | Trent Hubbard

COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATION

Tool of North America (USA) | Michelle Towse
HunkyDory (UK) | John Doris