Sam Qualiana


Samuel Joseph Qualiana is an American filmmaker and actor who has been involved in many low-budget horror film productions, most notably the 2012 film Snow Shark.

Life and career

Qualiana was born in Worcester, Massachusetts as the son of C. J. Qualiana, and has become known for directing, producing, and acting in various low budget horror films since 1998. His first appearance in a major film was an uncredited role in the 2006 Troma film . In 2010 and 2011, he directed and starred in several short films, including Swamp Squad of the Dead and No Road Out. At the Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival in 2010, Qualiana won the Filmmaker to Watch Award, and the following year, won the festival's Best Western New York Horror Short award for his film Something After Midnight.
He became more well-known during the production of his debut feature film, Snow Shark, which was filmed in 2011 and released in 2012. He served as the film's director, as well as one of its main actors and editors. The film was shot in Buffalo, New York and in Lockport, and was partially funded by an Indiegogo campaign launched by Qualiana with a fundraising goal of $3,000. The film premiered at Dipson's Amherst Theater in Buffalo on April 10, 2012. On May 12, the film made its film festival premiere when it was screened at the South Bronx Film Festival.
The second feature film directed by Qualiana was The Legend of Six Fingers, which was released in 2014. His third feature, Lake Effect, which began filming in Royalton, New York in early 2015, is currently in post-production.

Selected filmography

As director