Sophia Abolfathi
Bio-
Sophia is an artist, filmmaker, and graduate of the University of Florida ('25).
I am an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker and visual artist based in Gainesville, Florida. As of Spring 2025, I will earn my B.S. in Media Production from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.
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I am a first-generation American. As the daughter of both an Estonian and Iranian immigrant, I have nurtured a lifelong dedication to international engagement, understanding, and artistic expression. In my collegiate career, I have studied in numerous courses and reflected upon lectures on matters of global history, economics, and politics. In my practice, I have explored and transformed lived cultural experiences through a documentary lens in my films, images, and writing. My storytelling intimately unveils human histories, families, and memories.
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I am currently pursuing an oral history project focusing on Estonian-American memories of escape from the U.S.S.R to the United States following World War II. After graduation, I will continue to pursue producing and directing independent documentaries.​
Skills
communication
Through the ISP, I have greatly refined my communication skills through activities such as attending globally focused lectures, learning Spanish, and studying in Berlin, Germany for two weeks. I have consistently exercised my ability to connect with others of different worldviews, nationalities, and languages. Through these experiences, I have learned how to find common ground between diverse individuals, consider other perspectives within my own limited framework, and use language bridges to literally communicate outside of my personal circles.
creativity
In my collegiate career, I have tested, utilized, and increased my pension for creativity in numerous ways. Whether it is literally through art – learning the fundamental skills and concepts of visual expression in Berlin, Germany – or through necessary problem-solving – communicating in new languages by using a blend of words and gestures to get a message across – I am now far more capable of meeting and handling unexpected situations in my life, work, and travel. In numerous situations, I have learned how to test alternative methods for solving complex problems, use trial-and-error to determine the best way to share a message or navigate a new city, and seek knowledge across cultural and traditional lines to encourage creative thinking habits.
critical thinking
While a student at UF, I have attended numerous public lectures by professors specializing in a wide range of topics, including war and conflict, globalization and wealth disparities, and democratic backsliding. As an engaged listener and participant in these lectures, I have employed and increased my critical thinking on the complexities of sensitive global issues; learned how to think about sociocultural phenomena in context; and applied knowledge from one discussion to curiosities about other controversial international matters. By attending these lectures, I have learned that my personal worldview is not the most informed, correct, or truthful, and that there is incredible value in seeking out and drawing from other diverse perspectives.
compassion
Throughout my academic and professional life, I have found my capacity for compassion to be an incredible tool for meaningful connection, learning, and opportunity. Through the ISP, experiences such as studying in Germany, taking a myriad of global issue courses, and attending cultural community events have significantly increased my cultural intelligence and understanding of international sociopolitical structures. In my work, I have found these skills to be useful when interviewing film participants, building trust and rapport with story subjects, and entering an individual's life with a camera. With these experiences, I can turn my knowledge into compassion for the lives and limitations of others, making me a more kind, thoughtful, and receptive human being — both in life and my professional practice.