A rotary seal assembly (100) for preventing leakage of a fluid from a region of high pressure in a housing (102) to a region of relatively lower pressure includes a first member (104) mounted within the housing (102) and having a central axis (118) and an annular sealing face (105) extending in a direction substantially radial the central axis (118), and a second member (106) located in the housing (102) and having an annular sealing face (120) extending in a direction substantially radial to the central axis (118) and opposing the first member sealing face (105). The second member sealing face (120) has a first set of grooves (122) and a second set of grooves (124) arranged circularly thereabout, the second set of grooves (124) being spaced radially inward of the first set of grooves (122). One of the first and second members is a rotor (104) and the other is a stator (106). A stator holding assembly (108) supports the stator (106) within the housing (102), the rotor (104) being rotatable about the central axis (118). The stator holding assembly (108) secures the stator (106) against rotation and urges the stator sealing face (120) toward the rotor sealing face (105). Pressurized fluid flows between the sealing faces (105,120) and within the first and second set of grooves (122,124), thereby forming a gas film seal between the sealing faces (105,120).