Christopher “Zoz” Gruse

Christopher “Zoz” Gruse

The youngest of 9 children, Christopher Gruse, known to most as "Zoz", is an award-winning commercial director. He wasn't born on a film set, nor was he raised with a camera in hand and didn't go to film school. His directing career started from his love of books, music and film. Directing became a way to combine all three. When he’s not on set telling compelling narratives and capturing bold imagery, Zoz may be found tracking drums or drinking cheap beer at any number of Detroit bars. He has directed major campaigns for Hankook, Infiniti, Acura, Honda, Ford, Lincoln and Chevrolet. His web film “Mustang Speed Dating” garnered multiple awards and over 14 million views.

Zoz has spent the majority of 2017 focused on a feature-length documentary, "Dare To Struggle, Dare To Win". The film, slated for release in 2018, details the clash of a Detroit Police unit named STRESS and a radical Marxist attorney leading the charge against it. Set in the early 70s post-insurrection Detroit, we uncover the struggle to restore civil order after 22 African Americans are murdered within a 3-year period.