Marlin Darrah is probably the world's most traveled filmmaker. Darrah's 's 44 years of award-winning production experience have taken him to more than 140 countries worldwide, yielding more than 100 documentary, travel-adventure programs and dramatic movies to date.
In 2023, Darrah completed his third feature film "An Egypt Affair," an award-winning suspense-thriller that was entirely filmed in Egypt, along the Nile River between Luxor and Aswan. One of his more recent feature films is "Amazon Queen" - an 85-minute adventure-thriller shot entirely in the Brazilian Amazon. The film was completed in September 2021 and is presently being distributed throughout N.America and worldwide, by Vision Films of LA. "Amazon Queen" has enjoyed millions of views on streaming platforms worldwide. That film won awards and nominations at more than 100 international film festivals. Marlin also wrote, directed and produced the acclaimed 90-minute dramatic feature film, "Monsoon Wife," in Cambodia - the first American movie shot entirely in that SE Asian country since "Lord Jim." Universal Studios acquired Darrah's movie and television rights were sold to more than a dozen countries.
In September 2014, Darrah was honored with a Knighthood in the Royal House of Portugal, presented by His Royal Highness Dom Pio. This was in recognition of Darrah's extensive worldwide educational and charitable film productions
Darrah's international shots have been aired on programs appearing on all the major television networks, including PBS, History Channel and Discovery Channel. His twenty 90-minute geo-travel lectures and features have been presented to audiences in more than 100 theaters and auditoriums across America, including venues such as the Harvard Club and the Philadelphia Geographical Society.
Recently, a two-hour documentary Darrah shot and directed in Egypt was screened at the Cairo Opera House to an audience of 3000 guests. National Geographic represents and markets thousands of Darrah's best worldwide shots.
Darrah's productions have screened and won top awards at more than 120 national and international film festivals from Rome to New York and Los Angeles. As presented by his fellow travel producers and peers, he recently received the Travel Adventure Cinema Magazine's "Bertrand Holmes Award" for best travel film showcase.
When not on an out-of-country production, Marlin can be found in Los Angeles, or sometimes in Portland, Oregon (where his daughter Maya lives). Marlin often works with producer-writer Lin Zuo (born in Beijing).
A producer at National Geographic recently said this about Marlin. "If I could trade eye-balls with anyone in the world, it would be Marlin. He has seen more of our world than anyone I have ever met, and that includes hard-core travelers at National Geographic, who are a dime a dozen. He lives the life I can only dream of."
From 2011-2022, Marlin produced and shot more than more than about twenty 90- minute travel-adventure documentaries:
- CUBA: A Road Journey from Havana to Trinidad, Santiago and beyond
- THE SILK ROAD: China to Turkey - In the Footsteps of Marco Polo
- NORTHERN EUROPE: St.Petersburg, Moscow, Prague, Copenhagen, London and Paris
- SOUTHERN EUROPE: Paris, Cannes, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Istanbul
- PAKISTAN & AFGHANISTAN: On the border and on the Edge (also known as "In The Shadow of bin Laden")
- CITIES OF ITALY: Venice, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Naples & the Amalfi Coast
- SECRETS OF ANCIENT EGYPT: The Greatest Story Never Told
- MADAGASCAR: A Land Out of Time – Return to Treasure Island
- The AMAZON: A Discovery Voyahge down the Great River Sea
- PEARLS OF THE CARIBBEAN: A Voyage from Cuba to Puerto Rico, St. Barts, St.Maarten, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia and Barbados
- CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama Canal,Colombia, The Galapagos, Easter Island, Peru & Brazil
- A WEEK IN PARIS: What to see and do in The City of Light. Also Versailles, Loire Valley
- MEDITERRANEAN DREAM: A Voyage from Alexandria to Greece, Italy & Gibraltar.
- HAWAII & THE SOUTH PACIFIC: The Big Island, Oahu, Kauai, Galapagos, Easter Island, the Marquesas, Rangiroa, Moorea and Tahiti
- JEWELS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA: Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia & Thailand
- LOST TRIBES OF NEW GUINEA: A visit to the Dani, Asmat & Korowai tribes
- TREASURES OF TURKEY: Exploring Anatolia’s Cultural and Historical Marvels
- WONDERS OF THE WORLD: Exploring 30 Great Archeological and Nature sites
- TROPICAL ASIA: A Journey through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia
