Above Ground Level: Dubfire

As one-half of the Grammy Award-winning duo Deep Dish, Iranian-American Ali Shirazinia (aka Dubfire) has established himself as one of the world’s most revered and eminent DJ / producers. But the road to success was not an easy one. Ali’s story begins in Iran where his happy childhood took an abrupt detour when the country was thrown into turmoil by the 1979 Iranian Revolution and subsequent Iran-Iraq war. His family left Iran during the Revolution, relocating to the United States where Ali acclimated to his new country and soon found a passion in music. We trace the genesis of Dubfire's musical career from performing in local clubs in Washington, DC to later becoming one of the most influential and iconic producer / DJs working today. With candid interviews from family, childhood friends, industry peers, and fellow artists, this film takes an intimate and honest look inside the nuanced world of dance music. This is an aspirational story about pursuing your passion, daring to dream big, and the challenges - and sacrifices - that come with success. It is an insider’s look at what its like to be an electronic music artist from Above Ground Level.