Meet Sahar Ghorishi | Film Director, illustrator, production designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sahar Ghorishi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sahar, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
My name is Sahar and I’m a British-Iranian Filmmaker studying Directing at Chapman university and creating Art between London and California. Majority of my work revolves around shedding light on the pain and beauty of the Middle East. Before attending Chapman University I created a platform to showcase short films and photography from the MENA / SWANA region known as Journey of/to Dawn whilst illustrating and creating art for my community. A lot of the work I create highlights themes such as displacement and nostalgia which is very much influenced by my upbringing and moving away from Iran.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been creating art work and film since I quite my law degree in 2018. The foundation of everything I do is to give voice to minorities and create spaces for important conversations. I believe art is a beautiful way to centre important and necessary voices. I believe that my love for activism and film has allowed me create films shorts and direct my most recent narrative film ‘ A Breathless Flower’ which talks about a young Iranian woman who wants freedom.
As well as a resident artist at the Collective for Black Iranians, many of my illustrations and animations have been featured on platforms such as Middle East Matters, The Guardian, Harpers and film screenings for films such as the ‘The Persian Version’ . Moving from London to California has been a dream but also difficult. When I came to California, the women, life, freedom movement had just started after the death of Mahsa/ Jina Amini . This was heartbreaking and challenging especially being away from family during that time. I created a lot of art for this movement, sharing it on social media to raise awareness.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting from London I would take her to Academy museum and to the beach! places where can dream and heal. we would eat in Koreatown!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many people, communities and organisations that I could list however the person that always comes to mind is Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda. Priscillia has taught me so much as creative and how to be mindful when creating art. She is one Amy biggest inspirations and I will forever be grateful and thankful for her presence. Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda is a black Iranian Freetown-based filmmaker (Where My Memory Began, We Will Be Who We Are), creative director and founder at the Collective for Black Iranians and Haus of Salone, a production and creative agency that advises on critically conscious storytelling. As I created art with the collective for Black Iranians and Priscillia I found my art not only becoming more aware and informative but healing. It created safe spaces and that was a beautiful experience and I am forever thankful.

Website: https://www.saharghorishi.com/work-5-1

Instagram: @sahar_ghorishi.x / @ journeyoftodawn

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahar-ghorishi-1b7452131

Image Credits
INSTA:

@suhchae
@adamkudeimati
@drewmaa
@taylori_
@nnematt_
@euphoricsnaps