Freshta Safi

Freshta Safi is an animator, visual artist, and photojournalist from Afghanistan. She holds a BA in Graphic Design and an MA in Visual Arts, both from Kabul University.

Safi began her animation career in 2015 with her film ‘Don’t Judge Me’, supported by the Afghan Film Institute and the Goethe Institute. The animation was screened at the Swedish Film Festival in Kabul and at the Herat Women’s Festival, both in 2016. Another early work, ‘Sparrow Ponba Dana’, followed in 2017.

In 2017, Safi completed a one-year training course, part of the ‘Women in Government’ and ‘Women in Leadership’ programmes, organised by USAID. During this time, Safi contributed to projects at the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Culture and attended workshops on women’s role in the economy and graphic design.

From November 2018 to August 2019, Safi worked as an animator with the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan. Some of her works from this period were later exhibited at the French Institute in Kabul (2020) and the Louvre Museum (2021).

As a trained photojournalist through the Tassawi Institute’s programme, Safi worked as a photojournalist for the Afghan Ministry of Urban Development and Land, from 2019 until the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Safi also worked a senior animator on the film ‘Pir Yakhsooz’, leading a team of eight women. Additionally, she created paintings and wooden sculptures exhibited at Kabul University and was began writing a book, which was cut short by the Taliban’s return to power.

As a Hazara woman and an artist, Safi faced threats, harassment, and persecution. Due to the Taliban’s severe restrictions, she was unable to work between 2021 and 2025.  

In February 2025, Freshta Safi arrived in Norway to begin a two-year ICORN residency in Drøbak and continue her work as an animator, visual artist, and photojournalist.