Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ezra Sholeh. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ezra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

“The Risk That Changed Everything”

The last time I saw my mom in Iran, she was crying at the airport, clutching my hand like she could stop time. I was 18. Just a kid with a duffel bag, a half-baked plan, and a heart pounding out of my chest. I told her I’d be fine. She knew I was lying. So did I.

I was born in Shiraz, Iran, into a secular middle-class family. We didn’t pray. We didn’t preach. My mom’s great-grandmother was Jewish. My parents were open-minded and hardworking. I grew up with a love for movies — not just as entertainment, but as a portal. Films showed me a world beyond the grey ceilings of control, censorship, and fear. They gave me freedom before I ever tasted it.

When I turned 18, I couldn’t ignore it anymore: I needed out. Not just out of Iran — out of the cage. I didn’t want to become numb like the people around me. So I made a decision that would change my life: I left everything behind to chase something I couldn’t name. I said goodbye to my parents, my home, and everything familiar, and stepped into the unknown with nothing but hope.

The journey was brutal.

I was detained in Malaysia, interrogated in airports, and jailed in China for over a month. I spent my nights in cells, my days being moved like cattle between holding centers. I remember sleeping on metal beds with no mattress, listening to the cries of other prisoners — some who had been there for years. I stopped counting the days. I stopped believing I’d get out. At one point, I seriously thought: This is where it ends. This is where I disappear.

But I didn’t.

In the middle of all that, I got a call I’ll never forget — my younger brother was stuck in Hong Kong, stranded without a passport, at risk of being deported back to Iran. I had nothing — no legal status, no money — but I made it to Thailand and tracked down a human smuggler. I don’t even remember how I found the guy. All I remember is handing over cash I didn’t have and praying it would work.

And somehow, it did. We both made it out.

Eventually, I landed in Canada — legally, eventually — but I didn’t arrive with triumph. I arrived with trauma. With baggage that didn’t fit in a suitcase. But I also arrived with a fire that couldn’t be put out.

I started over. From zero. But this time, I had something else: a story. And that story became my strength.

Today, I’m an award-winning filmmaker. I tell stories through documentaries, series, and films — not for vanity, but because I’ve lived what most people only see in headlines. I know what it’s like to run for your life. To gamble everything for a shot at freedom. And I use my voice to amplify the voices of those who can’t speak out — those who are still trying to get out.

Looking back, the risk I took was insane. Leaving Iran wasn’t just a leap of faith — it was a dive into the dark with no guarantee of a net. But it’s the reason I’m alive, it’s the reason I create, and it’s the reason I believe in the power of storytelling.

Because sometimes, telling your story is the only way to take your life back.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Ezra Sholeh. I’m an award-winning filmmaker, storyteller, and founder of Toronto Film Media — but at my core, I’m just someone who believes in the transformative power of stories. My journey into filmmaking didn’t begin in a studio or on a film set. It started with survival.

I was born and raised in Shiraz, Iran, in a secular middle-class family. We didn’t practice any religion, but we deeply valued truth, creativity, and curiosity. I grew up watching films on scratched DVDs — pirated copies of Scorsese, Kubrick, Kiarostami — anything I could get my hands on. Movies were more than entertainment. For me, they were windows into worlds where people could be free, express love without shame, and challenge power without fear.

At 18, I made the life-altering decision to leave Iran. The journey took nearly eight months and led me through multiple countries, jails, interrogations, and moments where I truly thought it might all end. But that odyssey gave me not only a second chance at life — it gave me my voice. And when I finally arrived in Canada, I knew I would use that voice to tell stories that matter.

Today, my work spans feature films, documentary series, unscripted television, and branded content. Through Toronto Film Media and our platform Host Nest, I’ve built a creative ecosystem that provides end-to-end production services — from idea to final cut. We work with artists, brands, real estate professionals, activists, and other storytellers to help them shape their narrative, visually and emotionally, for both mass audiences and niche communities.

What sets me apart, I believe, is perspective. I didn’t stumble into this industry through comfort or connections. I came into it through fire. My lived experience as a refugee, an outsider, and a survivor has made me incredibly attuned to authenticity. I’m not interested in noise — I’m interested in truth, even if it’s messy. Especially if it’s messy.

My creative mission is simple: tell the stories that aren’t being told, or aren’t being told honestly. Whether it’s a documentary about illegal migration, a comedic web series that exposes cultural absurdities, or a real estate promo that actually feels cinematic — I approach every project with purpose and precision. I’m not here to make content. I’m here to make impact.

What I’m most proud of is that I’ve never compromised my vision, even when it would’ve been easier. My latest projects — including An Illegal Escape: A Persian Passport and Undriven, a docu-series exploring immigrant and underground car culture in Canada — are deeply personal and unapologetically bold.

For anyone encountering me or my work for the first time, here’s what I want you to know: I don’t just tell stories. I fight for them. I collaborate with people who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of truth, culture, and craft. Whether you’re a fellow creative, a brand with soul, or someone who just believes in the power of storytelling — I want to work with you.

Because storytelling isn’t just what I do. It’s how I survived. And it’s how I give back.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Creation the process of creation and the result of giving birth to a new thing. Whatever done is an incredible feeling.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Yes, in fact, I started having a day job working at restaurants and then working at telecommunication and working at a retail stores, but then make the transition to acting and was doing acting full-time until that wasn’t profitable anymore and I couldn’t do theater anymore and make a living that I thought I deserve so I kept theater and performing arts as a secondary thing and focused on making movies and commercials and music videos and content to make money and make it living so that was hard. However, I feel like since I started my own variety show/podcast politically challenged With my cohost NAV , I’m trying to shift back and pivot back into performing arts again and do more of both worlds.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.toronrofilmmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ezrasholeh?igsh=NG83ZWZ5ZGFxcDI2&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@politicallychallenged?si=B4aNuOL78WLqYEXZ

Image Credits

Meru Pictures
OMID Media