For Iranian filmmaker, and current APF Fellow in residence Zahra Ahooei, Canada represents something rare and deeply meaningful — safety and artistic freedom in her work.
“Two things that, as an Iranian artist, I could rarely experience together back home,” she says, “while also giving me a chance to connect with a wider community.’”
Made possible by OCAD University’s partnership with IIE’s Artist Protection Fund and the Scholars at Risk – Canada Network, Ahooei is reclaiming her creative practice in Toronto — a life she says was “interrupted by loss and limitation.” Her residency is generously supported by Knightstone Student Communities, as well.
Only months after her arrival, Ahooei has begun work on Houselight, a feature-length documentary exploring loss and the body’s relationship to it. The personal and experimental film traces her emotional and psychological journey through more than two years of unresolved grief following the unexpected loss of her husband, Arash, an influential Iranian photographer and journalist, whose work deeply engaged with feminist movements.
“My experience in Canada has been a mix of calmness and challenge,” Ahooei reflects. “Adapting to a new environment, language, and lifestyle isn’t easy, but I feel that I’m slowly finding my place. To me, Canada feels like a country with openness and great potential for different cultures.”
Professor Charles Reeve, acting dean, Faculty of Arts and Science, played a key role in bringing Ahooei to OCAD U. Through his involvement with the Scholars at Risk – Canada Network, Reeve learned about the Artist Protection Fund’s work and its awardees in need of hosts—specifically Zahra. Recognizing both the circumstances and the significance of her artistic practice, he began working with APF to facilitate her placement at the university.
“OCAD U is dedicated to protecting and championing the values and social conditions that are fundamental to all forms of creativity, and expressive freedom is foremost among those conditions,” says Reeve. “So, we’re proud to provide Zahra with a safe and supportive environment in which to continue her practice.”
The process involved months of careful planning and coordination between OCAD University and APF. As Reeve notes, the partnership “simply would not have happened” without APF’s support, which not only enables Ahooei’s creative freedom but also enriches the university and Toronto’s creative community.
“While we take pride in offering Zahra this fellowship, we’re equally fortunate to have her sharing her insights through guest lectures and screenings on campus,” he says.
Ahooei’s previous films — including Reflex (2024), Prestige (2020), Sign Out (2017) and Extra Time (2015) — have been screened internationally and received numerous awards. Throughout these works, she consistently explores the inner worlds, fears, and struggles of her female protagonists. Her career also spans journalism, television writing, and digital content creation.
Most recently, she participated in Forum RIDM, Doc Lab Montréal, where she presented her project, Houselight, received mentorship from industry professionals, and explored opportunities to advance her work in an international production context.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by storytelling, poetry, philosophy, and the laws of physics,” says Ahooei. “In my late teenage years, I realized that filmmaking was where all these opposites could coexist — challenging and transforming one another. Cinema became the only territory in the world where I could build and live by my own rules.”
Now, with the support of OCAD U and the Artist Protection Fund, Ahooei is rebuilding that territory — this time on her own terms, and in a place where creative freedom can truly thrive.