Salar Pashtoonyar is an Afghan Canadian film director.
His 2020 short film Bad Omen was made as his thesis project for his film degree at York University, and won the Lindalee Tracey Award for emerging filmmakers at the 2020 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.Jeremy Kay, "‘Stray’, ‘Prayer For A Lost Mitten’ among Hot Docs winners". Screen Daily, May 14, 2020.
The film had its public premiere at the 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Canadian Short Film.Craig Takeuchi, "VIFF 2020 wraps successful online edition with audience awards for most popular films". The Georgia Straight, October 8, 2020. It received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Drama at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards, and won a Bronze Medal from the Student Academy Awards in 2021.J. Kim Murphy, "Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Announces 2021 Student Winners and Medal Placements". Variety, October 21, 2021.
He followed up with the short films Hills and Mountains in 2022,Harper Lambert, "TIFF Announces 2022 Short Cuts Lineup". TheWrap, August 17, 2022. and Children of War in 2024.Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Ian Harnarine’s Doubles to open Canadian Film Fest". Playback, February 26, 2024.
His 2025 short film I Fear Blue Skies premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was named the winner of the Vimeo Staff Pick award.Pete Hammond, "‘Hamnet’ Wins Oscar-Predictive Toronto Film Festival People’s Choice Award". Deadline Hollywood, September 14, 2025.
Filmography Jack the Hat - 2015 Hope - 2016 Forsaken - 2016 Cotyledon - 2016 Sahil - 2017 Jummah - 2019 Screaming on the Inside - 2019 Bad Omen - 2020 Hills and Mountains - 2022 Children of War - 2024 I Fear Blue Skies - 2025
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