Ali Naqi is a Montreal-based creative director and producer whose work brings together film, design, and community storytelling. Born in Qatar and raised in Canada, he studied graphic design at Seneca College in Toronto, where his natural eye for detail grew into a full creative practice. From an early age he was drawn to sketching and painting, always looking for new ways to turn imagination into something visual.
He is the founder of Spicy Alii, a boutique creative studio recognized for bold campaigns and meaningful collaborations. His work with The PrEP Clinic has received awards and helped shape conversations around health and queer identity in Canada. In 2024, he co-directed and produced Gubbi, a short documentary about a caregiver living with HIV in India and the children she supports. The film has reached audiences at festivals and continues to spark important dialogue about resilience and chosen family.
Ali is inspired by painting, improv, and the creative energy of Montreal itself. Friends know him as someone who creates with both focus and heart, and who brings care and imagination into everything he does.
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Which ’hood are you in?
New Rose-Mont
What do you do?
I’m a creative director and producer. I run Spicy Alii, a boutique creative studio that builds campaigns, events, and productions rooted in community and storytelling.
What are you currently working on?
I’m developing and writing My Gulabi Baby, a queer musical that blends comedy, drama, and over-the-top theatricality. It explores family, love, and identity through a playful, campy lens, while centring the voice of a queer South Asian lead character. I’m also working on an art series titled Beautiful Spirals, which explores movement, growth, and resilience through painting.
Where can we find your work?
You can find my work through Spicy Alii and The PrEP Clinic’s campaigns. My short documentary Gubbi will also be screening at the Cannes Indie Short Awards in November, which was previously screened at the Abbotsford Film Festival and the International South Asian Film Festival Canada in Surrey, B.C.
