Shahrzad Arshadi is a multidisciplinary creator, storyteller, filmmaker, photographer, performer, podcaster and human rights activist from Iran now based in Montréal. She came to Canada in 1983 as a political refugee. In 2017 she was named a Woman of Distinction and awarded the Inspiration Award by the Fondation Y des femmes Montréal (YWCA Montreal).
Mixed forms (Drama, Creative non-fiction, Poetry)
Children of Fire: Kurdish Female Fighters and the Struggle for Woman, Life, Freedom
Co-author: Anna Chatterton.
Toronto: Book*hug Press, 2026.
On order
Publisher’s Synopsis (From its website)
In 2018, Shahrzad Arshadi and Anna Chatterton travelled to the Qandil Mountains of Kurdistan, where they were hosted by a group of Kurdish female freedom fighters. After living with and gathering accounts of these extraordinary women, they returned home to create a searing piece of theatre that not only amplifies their voices but also deftly examines privilege, feminism, and the nature of courage. With contributions from the authors and the resistance fighters, Children of Fire is a unique, genre-blurring collection that includes the original play script, an interview, photographs, candid personal essays, letters, poems, and testimonials.
This vital hybrid work examines how the freedom fighters’ struggle is in aid of peace and the protection of the environment, as well as the Kurdish people and women everywhere. During these anxious and turbulent times, it can feel easy to give up hope. Children of Fire offers a wake-up call to connection and change, emphasizing that we are all part of this critical fight, and that together, we can create a better world for everyone.
Awards and Honours
2026 QWF Prize for Playwriting (Finalist)
Links
Publisher Book*hug Press