Mitra Shahidi discusses independent filmmaking, working across animation and live action, as well as the power of the filmmaking community.

Mitra Shahidi is an Iranian-American story artist, director and screenwriter who was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. Shahidi’s passion for art and storytelling began at a young age and led her to pursue a career in animation in the United States. Growing up, she was exposed to a rich cultural heritage which has greatly influenced her artistic style and subject matter. After graduating from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, she worked as an art director and story artist in games, film and advertising until she joined Pixar Animation Studios as a story artist in 2017. Since joining Pixar, she has worked on several films, including the Academy Award-nominated “Luca” and the upcoming “Elio.” Shahidi also wrote and directed the Tribeca “Best Animated Short” award winning Starling, as well as the award winning live action narrative short Good Egg.

Shahidi currently lives in the Bay Area, California with her family.