Sofia Farahani is an Iranian/Afghan actor from Vancouver, British Columbia. Sofia’s interests are in Theatre, Film/TV, and Dance. As a multidisciplinary artist, Sofia seeks to mix disciplines and loves creating with music, movement, and voice. She hopes to continue to tell stories through theatre and dance. She is entering her final year at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Performance, where she will receive a BFA in Acting. Sofia Farahani has loved storytelling since she was a little girl. As a high school student, she attended the Byng Arts Mini school, where she studied Drama. She also found her passion for comedy here and competed in improv for five years, provincially and nationally.
At TMU, Sofia has had the opportunity to train under Marianne McIssac (scene study), Eugene Ma (Clown), Adam Lazarus (Buffoon) and Lisa Karen Cox (Movement). In her hometown of Vancouver, Sofia has trained On-Camera with Michael Bean (Biz Kids Studio), John Cassini (Railtown Actors Studio), and Brian Markinson (Railtown Actors Studio). She is also trained in Ballet and Modern dance (Arts Umbrella Dance). As a Storyteller, Sofia Farahani is interested in centring the voices of West Asian and South Asian women. The experience, hopes, and dreams of the global world are still minimal on Canadian stages, and she believes a vast audience is waiting for that to be shown. Select Credits include The Dybbuk (TMU School of Performance), Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs (TMU School of Performance), and iZombie (CW).
Summer Ensemble
Sofia has recently become part of the Crane Creations Theatre‘s prestigious Summer Ensemble 2023 as an actor. This unique program offers aspiring artists in the Canadian theatre industry unparalleled work experience. The Summer Ensemble specifically recruits talented individuals aged 18 to 30, providing them with intensive, full-time training over several weeks. Participants not only acquire valuable skills but also gain invaluable experience in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
Sofia Farahani is now collaborating with other talented actors, including Celine Daaboul, Marie Barros, Reymark Andres, Nikolai Afanasev, Kay Vukelic, Boro Milosevic, and Hope Van Der Merwe who will together be creating an exciting and dynamic collaborative environment
What Will Sofia Gain In This Arts Job?
Artistic Skills: Explore classical and contemporary text, improvisation, and theatre around the world and their relevance and impact on art jobs and society today.
Orientation in Arts Jobs: Honest insight into professional organizations, structures and systems in place and how to navigate them successfully
Financial Skills: Budgeting and financial literacy delivered in a comprehensible and easy to understand way, tailored for theatre artists’ needs.
Leadership: Debate complex questions and develop ideas and strategies on how to build not only your career but the theatre ecosystem in Canada and Internationally.
Touring in Arts: Discover how artists around the world use international touring as a source of income, and learn how to create shows that can allow you to participate in that market.
Digital Skills: Discover how blog/content writing can earn you additional income, and promote your work, while mastering WordPress, one of the most desired skills in today’s job market.
Education
Sofia Farahani is studying at TMU’s School of Performance in the Performance-Acting program. She is excited to be entering her fourth and final year. Before University, Sofia attended an Arts high school, where she was first introduced to intensive theatre training. Sofia trained with Carousel Theatre for Young People, The Happening Dance Co., Arts Umbrella Dance, Westside Dance Centre, Biz Studio, and Shoreline Studios outside the high school.
Experience
Sofia Farahani has worked professionally in Television and Commercials. Credits include iZombie (CW), Girls vs The City (Telus Storyhive), and Samsung (Capital Media). She has also participated in staged play readings in Vancouver at the Brave New Playwrites festival and Virago Play Series (Burqa Boutique – Aisha).
About Sofia. An Interview with Sofia.
Where Are You From Originally? What is your favourite thing about your home town?
I was born in Vancouver, Canada, but I travelled a lot as a kid. I lived in Iran for almost the first two years of my life. I returned to Canada for a few years and returned to Iran when I was 6. When I returned to Canada, my family moved cities. We settled for a bit and then picked up again when I was in grade 5 to travel across Asia for a year. We backpacked through China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. So as a kid, I moved a lot! At a young age, I was exposed to many different cultures which opened my mind and created an appreciation for the different lifestyles around the world.
My favourite thing about Vancouver is the outdoors. I feel so lucky to have grown up around nature and the ocean. My favourite things to do with my friends and family are going to the beaches and lakes. The views of the mountain are also beautiful. You can see them from almost everywhere. They’re the first thing I notice whenever I fly home, and it’s always comforting.
What is One Fun Fact About Yourself?
What is one project you worked on that you are proud of?
A recent project I am immensely proud of is TMU’s winter production of the Dybbuk. This project was so rewarding because our director and crew filled the process with so much warmth and love. The story took place in a world new to me, yet I was still welcomed with open arms and could show up imperfectly. Forever grateful xoxo
