About

I am Mahsa Shoja, a stop-motion director, animator, and maker — I sculpt and build the puppets, sets, and props, then bring them to life in front of the camera. My journey began somewhere unexpected: in mathematics. But a deep passion for tangible creation drew me toward the world of handicrafts — a field I see as an exploration of the relationship between humans and matter, a connection that weaves beauty into everyday life and transforms an ordinary object into a piece that carries our identity and narrative. With this vision, I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Handicrafts at the University of Art and Architecture in Shiraz. However, a deep yearning for visual and cinematic storytelling eventually led me to the world of animation. During my studies, I focused entirely on stop-motion, as it represents the magical intersection of cinema and hands-on craftsmanship. It is a boundless realm where there are no limits to the materials used for storytelling, and where inanimate objects gain movement and character to voice their own narratives. Ultimately, I earned my Master of Arts in Animation Direction from the University of Art in Tehran. My independent short film and master's thesis, The Magnificent Life of the Prince—a stop-motion piece inspired by the story of The Little Prince—was screened at numerous national and international film festivals. Following my graduation, I have spent over a decade working as an animator, set designer, and puppet maker across various stop-motion projects, experiencing every stage of creating a stop-motion work—from ideation and world-building to animating and directing. My second independent short film, The Collector (La Collectionneuse), produced in partnership with the Documentary, Experimental, and Animation Film Center, has recently been completed and is now embarking on its international festival circuit. Alongside filmmaking, handicrafts remain a vital, independent, and dynamic artistic path for me. Various techniques such as pottery, macramé, papier-mâché, and fabric painting not only serve as part of my visual language and technical toolkit in cinema, but each stands on its own as a distinct medium for creation and artistic expression. Whether within the frame of a stop-motion film or in the body of a handmade piece, I am always seeking to uncover the hidden stories within materials—stories that reveal how objects can carry memory, emotion, and a piece of the human soul. I am now based in Quebec, Canada, and available for film and animation productions. I would be glad to bring my hands and my craft to your next project.