Former BEMC Graduate breaks boundaries in the Canadian Film Industry
By Trudy Tumusime
Azar, an internationally trained filmmaker, actress, and artist from Iran, moved to Canada in 2019. For the passionate creative, this journey was “both exciting and challenging.”
Like many newcomers, Azar endured the typical struggles of settling in Canada. From embracing diversity, to appreciating the opportunities Canada has to offer, Azar was ready to make Canada home but found one thing most challenging – continuing her cinematic and artistic career.
In spite of adjusting to new culture, understanding industry environment and building a new network in a new country required a lot of work,” Azar recalls.
Despite the hardship, the determined newcomer embraced the transition as an opportunity to grow in the film industry and a chance to gain higher education in her field.
In Iran, Azar had tremendously achieved in the film making industry where she started as an actress, before enrolling for film making at the University of Culture and Art in Tehran. She earned other industry related qualifications from several other institutes in Iran. With a passion for storytelling, over the years, Azar honed skills in script writing, film directing, editing, acting and adjudicating at various film festivals. Her works earned several awards and recognitions at various festivals.
Arriving in Canada, Azar desired to continue with her film making career. She started working on her first Canadian film script in 2021 while also researching resources for media professionals in Canada. That’s when she learned about Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto (MNLCT)’s Bridge to Employment in Media, Marketing and Communication (BEMC) program and enrolled in 2022.
“The program offered invaluable pathway to bridge the gap between my previous experience and the Canadian job market or film industry here.” Azar explains, commending the BEMC Program for helping her to understand the Canadian workplace standards and policies better. “It also gave me tools to navigate my professional journey more effectively,” she adds.
The true challenge for Azar as an immigrant bridging her career in Canada was when she decided to create her first film, Life’s Illusion.
“Making Life’s Illusion in Toronto was very difficult and challenging for me, but I was able to complete it, and it was very successful,” Azar shares.
The film – themed around immigration and identity – earned an honourable mention at the US Film Festival, an official selection in Italy and Canada, and was most recently awarded Best Director at the Widescreen Film and Music Video Festival in Toronto in November 2024.
Receiving the Best Director award at the film festival in Toronto was an incredible honour and a deeply meaningful milestone in my film making journey,” she shares. “This recognition not only validates my hard work, creativity and passion put into the project but also highlights the resonance of the story with the audience and critics alike,” she adds.
Beyond the awards, Azar continues to touch on themes of immigration and identity subjects that resonate deeply in Toronto’s diverse, multicultural landscape.
She reckons, how much being recognized in a diverse and culturally rich city like Toronto means the world to her. “It reflects the universality of storytelling and the power of cinema to connect people from different backgrounds,” Azar shares.
Azar is proud that her film has sparked meaningful discussions, recently noticing that programs, seminars, and workshops in the Iranian community now often focus on themes explored in her film. “My voice is being heard,” she speaks.
As she continues her film making journey in Canada, Azar is focused on expanding her career and pushing creative boundaries. She aspires to continue growing as an actress, director, jury member, and storyteller. Collaborating with like-minded creatives, exploring new techniques, and contributing to the growth of the Canadian and international film landscapes are all part of her long-term plans.
I aim to work on projects that not only inspire but spark meaningful conversations.” Azar explains, “I hope to direct impactful films that resonate with diverse audiences globally.”
Azar’s future is bright, thanks to her resilience. She is confident of the possibilities in the journey ahead of her and is excited to see where it leads.
