Pilgrim is a surreal, participatory, autobiographical short animation that reflects on my lived experience and that of my participant as immigrant women in Canada. The film explores the mental and physical challenges of migration, from barriers to healthcare to the struggle of reshaping identity while confronting “otherness,” symbolized by insects, creatures often alienated and unsympathized within human culture.

Narges Rezaian is an Assistant Professor at AUArts with over a decade of experience in art education and 20 years of practice as an experimental filmmaker and animator from Iran. Her research is an interdisciplinary exploration drawing ideas from philosophy, psychology, cinema, and fine arts.