Language can open new worlds, whether it’s through personal interactions, books, or broadcast media. But for those who don’t speak English or French in Canada, language can also be a barrier to learning and forming human connections. This coming weekend, the Persian Podcast Festival in Toronto aims to address that for Farsi speakers.
“In a world where books are left untouched on shelves, social media is saturated with superficial content, and many Iranians abroad grapple with loneliness, lack of time, and the challenges of living far from home, Persian podcasts have emerged as a genuine, captivating, independent, and community-driven medium,” the festival states on its website.
It takes place from Saturday (September 27) to Monday (September 29) and includes a two-day writing workshop with Iranian actor, writer, and director Soroush Sehhat. It starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Urban Economy Forum (Floor 3, Unit 5&6, 660 Dundas Street East).
Soroush won the Hafez Award for Best Director for his 2024 film Breakfast with Giraffes. His 2019 film Dance With Me won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Director at the Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran. It was also nominated for a Hafez Award for Best Screenwriting.
Fest presents Chai with Banafsheh podcast host
There are also North American podcasters of Persian ancestry participating in the festival. They include Toronto-based actor, producer, and Chai with Banafsheh podcast host Banafsheh Taherian. The bilingual (Farsi and English) Taherian has accumulated more than four million streams through Chai da Banafsh, which re-imagines ancient Persian stories. She is a former director of development with Modern Times Stage Company in Toronto and a former artist-in-residence at Canadian Stage.
Another podcaster with a Toronto connection is Amir Khadem, host of The Story of the Constitutional Revolution. A former postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto, he is a Governor General’s Gold Medal–winning scholar who speaks Farsi and English. In addition, he can read Arabic and Biblical Hebrew.
Meanwhile, Toronto-based Kimia Khosravi hosts the Radio Joloun podcast, which focuses on international travel. And Toronto-based Solmaz Barghgir’s Lam Ta Kalam podcast helps Farsi-speaking immigrants deal with difficult aspects of everyday life and relationships.
Watch one of Kimia Khosravi’s podcasts (above).
Celebrating creativity
In addition, a Vancouver scholar, Soheil Alavi, is in the lineup. A PhD candidate in computer science at the University of British Columbia, Alavi’s podcast is called Tabaghe 16. He chose this name because it initially featured him in conversation with friends who were visiting his 16th-floor residence when he was living in Toronto.
Yet another North American participant, U.S.-based event strategist Helli Hendesi, is a certified supply chain professional. She hosts the Hellitalk podcast, which addresses personal development through discussions on psychology, cognitive science, and other subjects dealing with the mind.
“Together, they bring stories, conversations, and performances that celebrate creativity and the vibrant world of Persian podcasting,” the festival states on its website.
The Persian Podcast Festival will take place from September 27 to 29. Learn more about the communities that make up Canada on the Toronto Spark website. The Toronto Spark is on Bluesky @torontospark.bsky.social.
