SHAY MODARESSI

I’m a filmmaker and multidisciplinary visual artist based in Vancouver, Canada. My work moves between film, television, photography, design, and visual storytelling—fields connected by my interest in how images shape the way we experience stories, people, and places.

My career has taken me from Tehran to Paris, Tokyo, and Vancouver, where I’ve worked on independent films, documentaries, and international television and streaming productions. Before moving into the film industry, I spent more than a decade as a photojournalist and documentary photographer, contributing to publications and broadcasters including Paris Match, Agence France-Presse (AFP), ARTE, and Il Sole 24 Ore. Those years taught me to observe closely, research deeply, and look for the human story within every image.

As an Art Director and Lead Graphic Artist, I have contributed to productions for Netflix, Warner Bros., Apple TV+, CBC, Hulu, and BBC Films. I have also taught production design, graphic design, and visual storytelling—an experience that has allowed me to share what I’ve learned while supporting emerging filmmakers and artists as they develop their own visual voices.

Whether I’m working in film, photography, design, or multimedia, I approach each project with curiosity, care, and a strong sense of story. I’m especially drawn to the relationship between image, memory, and culture—and to creating work that feels thoughtful, honest, and emotionally connected to its audience.