FOREIGNER

Ava Maria Safai is a Canadian-Iranian filmmaker based in Vancouver, known for mixing sharp genre instincts with heartfelt, character-driven storytelling. She’s the artistic director of The Harlequin Theatre Society and a proud champion of underrepresented voices.Her short film ZIP made history as the first Crazy8s selection to receive a standing ovation and went on to screen at Oscar-qualifying festivals including Uppsala, CINEQUEST, Athens, VAFF, and Calgary. The short earned her a Leo Award for Best Picture Editing and numerous accolades at festivals such as WIFF, CIFF, and Blood in the Snow. Her debut feature Foreigner, backed by Telefilm’s Talent to Watch program, is a bubblegum-tinged coming-of-age horror set to hit some of the top genre festivals in the world.Ava Maria recently shadowed directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein on Final Destination 6. When she’s not behind the camera, she can be found in front of it — or somewhere in a sound booth making music that’s just as dramatic as her films. avamariasafai.com