Josef Fares facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josef Fares
Fares in June 2018
Born	(1977-09-19) 19 September 1977 (age 47) Beirut, Lebanon
Nationality	Swedish
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, actor, video game designer
Years active	1996–present
Relatives	Fares Fares (brother)

Josef Fares (born September 19, 1977) is a talented Swedish-Lebanese film director and video game designer. He is known for creating exciting story-driven games that you can play with a friend. His brother, Fares Fares, is an actor who has been in many of Josef's films. Josef is also the person who started Hazelight Studios, a company that makes video games.

Josef Fares's Journey

Josef Fares in 2013

Josef Fares moved to Sweden when he was 10 years old. His family left their home because of the Lebanese Civil War, a difficult time in their country.

In 2006, a famous magazine called Variety named him one of the top ten new directors to watch. That same year, he won the Nordic Council Film Prize for his movie called Zozo.

Making Video Games

In 2013, Josef Fares directed his very first video game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. This game was loved by many people and critics. It focused on the special bond between two brothers. They go on an amazing journey to save their father.

After this success, he started his own game company called Hazelight Studios. He then worked with a big game publisher, Electronic Arts, to release his next game. This game was A Way Out, which came out on March 23, 2018.

Josef Fares is also known for his energetic speeches at game events. One of his speeches became very popular online because of his passion for games.

His Views on Gaming

After his game It Takes Two won a big award in 2021, Josef Fares shared his thoughts on the video game world. He said he would never include NFTs (special digital items) in his future games. He believes that games should not be designed just to make players spend more money. For him, making games is a form of art.

He also believes that game developers should be paid fairly for their hard work. He thinks that education and knowledge are very important for improving the gaming industry.

Films by Josef Fares

Josef Fares has directed several films:

• Jalla! Jalla! (2000)
• Kopps (2003)
• Zozo (2005)
• Leo (2007)
• Balls (2010)

Video Games by Josef Fares

Here are the video games Josef Fares has directed: