Born into a well-known intellectual family on March 21, 1982 in Tehran, Iran, Arsalan Baraheni is an Iranian-Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto.

His father is a famous poet and novelist. His mother is a translator and an actress. Arsalan was forced to leave Iran at the age of 14 because of his father’s activities as a writer against censorship in Iran.

Arsalan and his family ended up in Toronto, Canada. He went through many difficulties in exile, but ever since Arsalan could remember, he was in love with the process of filmmaking and cinema. He started to shoot experimental art films and later took film theory and directing at York University.

"..Tarantino says he didn't go to film school but he went to films. This was the other avenue for some and it meant they studied filmmaking on their own and started making indie films.. Independent filmmaking will continue its work regardless of what happens in the world since it does not rely on any system and stands on its own feet. Independent filmmaking will survive."

Arsalan has made independent art films in both fiction and documentary. He has also worked as an actor, scriptwriter and a cinematographer.

His 73 minute dramatic film, “Eye Am” deals with themes such as spirituality and filmmaking, arts and immigration, alienation and dislocation.

His most well known documentary is “Alchemy and Dust”, which premiered in BBC’s Aparat cinema program. “Exilic Trilogy” is a collection which features three of his docudrama films, starring three of the most outstanding Iranian artists in Toronto.

Arsalan Baraheni’s filmography includes: “The Minima”, “light and sound”, “frame and wall”, “Alchemy and Dust” “Third zone”, “Silent bird” and “Eye am”.

Filmography

Director

 2022 Who am I (pre-production)
 2021 Migrant Birds Fly
 2020 A poet is killed (Documentary)
 2019 Actors of God
 2015 Exilic Trilogy (Documentary)
 2014 Frame & Wall (Documentary short)
 2014 Light and Sound (Documentary short)
 2014 Alchemy & Dust (Documentary short)
 2010 The Minima (Documentary)