TFS Instructor Samiramis Kia Wins Best Director Award at WIFT+ Toronto’s Annual Showcase
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Toronto Film School’s Samiramis Kia recently took home the Best Director Award from Women in Film & Television Toronto‘s 17th Annual Showcase – an event celebrating the creative excellence of women and gender-diverse filmmakers within WIFT+ Toronto’s membership.
The Film Production instructor was recognized for Last Resort, an emotionally charged, 15-minute short that follows a desperate Iranian mother as she is faced with her only chance to reclaim her daughter in an unequal struggle against her cruel husband.
Reflecting on her win, Kia said the response from both the audience at the Scotiabank Theatre and the WIFT+ Toronto jury at the May 13 event moved her deeply.
“I was incredibly honoured and excited to receive the award for Best Director. But what means even more to me is the positive response the film received from both audiences and the jury,” she said.
“For me, the most rewarding aspect of filmmaking is creating work that resonates with people, sparks conversation, and connects with audiences on an emotional level. Knowing that Last Resort achieved that is deeply meaningful.”
The Best Directing Award came with a substantial prize package: a $3,000 cash prize from the Foundation for WIFT+ Toronto, a virtual meeting with a Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) Ontario director, a $3,000 certificate towards rental equipment from Ontario Camera, a TIFF Industry Membership, and a General Level membership from the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT).
A Deeply Personal Project
Kia said the timing around which she began the process of writing, directing and producing Last Resort lent the project particular emotional weight.
“The story was developed around the same time as the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement in Iran, which made it deeply personal and emotionally important to me,” she said.
That personal investment comes through on the screen. WIFT+ Toronto Juror Zanda Kakaliia captured the film’s emotional power in her description of Last Resort, noting how the story “brutally illustrates” the self-sacrifice and unconditional nature of a mother’s love for her child.
“Captivated by her harrowing journey, audiences are left with simultaneous hope and dread, even as the film exposes a system that strips mothers of their rights – and reveals the quiet resilience of women determined to reclaim their lives,” she wrote.
A Filmmaker Shaped by History and Migration
Kia’s path to filmmaking is itself a story of reinvention and resilience. Born in Iran during the Iran-Iraq War, she immigrated to Canada in 2012 in the wake of the Green Movement, bringing with her a perspective shaped by displacement, political upheaval, and a deep attunement to the lives of those who endure in silence.
Originally trained in interior architecture, Kia made the leap to cinema, eventually graduating from York University’s film program. Her work consistently explores memory, identity, migration, and the intimate dynamics of human relationships – themes she draws from lived experience rather than abstraction.
Her films have screened at more than 50 international festivals, including the Oscar-qualifying Tirana International Film Festival. Among her earlier honours is the Norman McLaren Award at the Montreal World Film Festival for her 2017 short, Land – recognition that signalled her arrival as a distinctive voice in Canadian independent cinema.
The Meaning of WIFT+ Toronto
For Kia, winning at the WIFT+ Showcase carries fulsome meaning beyond the prize itself.
“WIFT+ Toronto is an organization that supports women and gender-diverse creators working in film, television, and digital media.,” she explained. “I feel extremely excited to be part of it, because it is one of the major events in Toronto that gives a voice to female filmmakers while bringing together remarkable artists and industry professionals.”
The WIFT Showcase is one of the organization’s most significant events, providing selected filmmakers with an opportunity to present their work to audiences and industry professionals, while creating valuable opportunities for visibility and networking.
Kia described the event as more than a competition, but a community: “I see it as a valuable space where filmmakers can find their voices echoed through community and support. That sense of togetherness and mutual encouragement is what makes the event so meaningful to me.”
Teaching the Next Generation
Kia brings that same commitment to community into her role as an instructor at TFS, where she works alongside other working industry professionals. When asked what she hopes students take away from her achievements, her answer was thoughtful.
“I hope to help students find their own voice as filmmakers,” she said. “Filmmaking is about persistence, adaptability, and developing a personal perspective – creating work that genuinely comes from the heart. I hope they learn to trust their perspective and remain curious. Cinema evolves through risk-taking, questioning norms, and searching for meaning.”
She also believes that the industry relationships students forge early on can help define their entire careers.
“Film is a collaborative medium, and the relationships formed during school often become creative partnerships that continue throughout one’s career,” she said. “I absolutely believe Toronto Film School is a great place for students to begin building those connections.”
Kia’s upcoming feature film, Drifting Stones, stands as proof of that principle in practice. That film was produced by her TFS colleague, Emilija Davidovic, Director of the Film Production program.
“I have always valued collaborating with women in the industry, because I often find them deeply attentive, responsible, and detail-oriented, and this collaboration was no exception,” she said. “It reminded me how important meaningful professional relationships are in filmmaking.”
More Than Recognition
For Kia, the WIFT+ Toronto win feels like more than recognition. As someone who describes herself as indebted to Iranian women and all they have carried throughout history, she saw it as something to be returned.
“This was, for me, an opportunity to return to the remarkable history shaped by Iranian women,” she said. “May this path remain bright and continue forward. May the world be filled with femininity, with the light of life, and with freedom.”
