SETAREH SALEH

ABOUT ME

Setareh “Seti” Saleh is an Iranian-Canadian filmmaker, Assistant Director, and producer based in Toronto. Her work moves between two sides of filmmaking: telling stories of her own and helping other filmmakers bring theirs to life. A Toronto Film School graduate and part of DGC Ontario, she has worked across feature films, short films, documentaries, commercials, and music videos.

BEHIND THE STORY

As a writer and director, Setareh is drawn to stories exploring women's resistance, identity, freedom, and the human cost of oppressive systems. Her Canada Council for the Arts-supported short film For Dawn premiered at the Whistler Film Festival, where it received the Haebler Award and an Honourable Mention for Best Canadian ShortWork. It was later selected for the 2026 Canadian Film Fest.

Her documentary work includes Forbidden Dance, exploring the criminalization of women's public dancing in Iran, and No Man's Honour, a poetic examination of honour killings and gender-based violence. She wrote, directed, and executive produced both projects. She is also developing her first feature film, AVA2001, a politically charged revenge thriller exploring sisterhood, betrayal, and survival.

ON THE SET

Alongside her creative work, Setareh has served as First Assistant Director on independent productions and as Second Assistant Director and Production Coordinator on the Telefilm-supported feature The River Will Carry Us. Her producing credits also include executive-producing For Dawn and producing Belle Rose's experimental micro-short Foil, which explores the pressures of creating art under constant observation.

Whether developing her own stories or supporting another filmmaker's vision, Setareh approaches each production with a commitment to thoughtful storytelling, collaboration, and creating safe, inclusive environments where creativity can thrive.