Nader Bahu

disabled brown skin man with an open jaw in a blue button up shirt with trees behind him

Nader Bahu, He/him/his

Filmmaker, Disability Advocate & Competitive Gamer, USA

Nader Bahu is a disabled filmmaker, actor, writer, director, producer, editor, and advocate who uses storytelling to challenge assumptions about disability and physical limitation. Living with a rare, progressive muscle atrophy condition that affects his mobility, voice, and strength, Nader has created 21 short films centered on disability across multiple genres. Through his work and the message “I am ABLE,” he demonstrates that physical limitations do not define a person’s creativity, ambition, or potential. Over the past year, Nader screened new films, including Voice Box, which received year-long international distribution through a Japanese streaming service. He also edited an interview with Marlee Matlin for a film festival and continued using authentic storytelling to shift disability narratives away from pity and toward empowerment. Nader has spoken at the San Francisco Disability Business Alliance, appeared in commercials for San Francisco State University, and inspired disabled youth through his creative work. His accomplishments include multiple film festival awards and participation in the Warner Bros. Discovery Bootcamp. He is also a competitive Twitch gamer, bringing his advocacy and creativity into digital spaces. Through film and media, Nader is proving that disabled people belong at the center of their own stories.