Harry Besel is a film director born in Kazakhstan and raised in Kassel, Germany.

He studied Visual Communication with a focus on Film at the Kunsthochschule Kassel.

 

His work blends fictional, documentary, and experimental storytelling. In 2025, Besel completed his graduation film “Risen from Ruins” (Auferstanden aus Ruinen) – a 20-minute historical short that celebrated its world premiere at 59th. Internationale Hofer Filmtage. Furthermore it was screened at the 44th Festival of Future Storytellers (former: Filmschoolfest Munich) and the 42nd Kasseler Dokfest.

​

His previous short film “GRENZER – A Border Tale” premiered at KURZSUECHTIG in Leipzig (2024) and screened at the Landshut Short Film Festival (2025), while "Kugelmensch" (2019), a 16mm experimental film, earned him selection as a “Hessen Talent” in 2020.

 

In addition to his own projects, he worked as assistant director to Bertrand Mandico

(Le Lunes Amères, 2023) and as a production assistant on Tom Schreiber’s feature film “Beautiful Souls” (2024).