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FESTIVAL CALENDAR

Indigenous Land Acknowledgement

We humbly acknowledge that we come together in gratitude and celebration on the timeless lands of the Coast Salish Peoples. In particular, Sher Vancouver and the Sundar Prize Film Festival honor the stewardship of the Semiahmoo, Musqueam, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt, and Tsawwassen nations, whose ancestral and unceded territories we are privileged to inhabit.

Meet the team

Alex Sangha (he/him)

Co-Founder, Finalist Juror, Film Producer and Sponsorships

Vinay Giridhar (he/him)

Co-Founder, Finalist Juror, MultiMedia Coordinator, Filmmaker and Video Editor

Chauhan (he/they) Festival Advisor, Social Media Manager, and Cinematographer

Greg Chan (he/him) KDocsFF Emerging Filmmaker Residency Juror and KPU Professor

Dhadli (she/her) Marketing Coordinator, Website, and Newsletter

Ruzic (she/her) Finalist Juror, Social Justice Advisor and Volunteer Coordinator

Executive Director,

of Community Engagement

Varnnitha Venugopal (she/her) IT Support

Beerling (he/him) Official Festival Photographer

Mauricette(she/her) Moderator and Finalist Juror

Jagreet

Bhavesh

Charlie

Carolyn

Joshna Hirani (she/her) Manager

Imaan Sherin Actress, Youth Correspondent

Akshay Sachdeva Short List Juror

Sophia-may Son Festival Photographer

Ian Frayne (he/him) Festival Assistant, Actor, and Writer

Sidartha Murjani (he/him)

Finalist Juror, Senior Programmer and Filmmaker

Rami Kahlon (she/her) Shortlist Juror, Actress, and Filmmaker

Susan

Nic Altobelli (she/they) Shortlist Juror, Independent Producer, and Actress

Cindy Bourguignon Festival Videographer

Amit Dhuga (he/him) Festival Moderator, Actor and Filmmaker

Rashi Sethi (she/her) Festival Videographer

Official Greetings from the Founder

The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a proud initiative of Sher Vancouver, a registered charity that has served Surrey and its neighbouring communities for nearly 17 years through arts, culture, and social services.

Rooted in social justice and guided by the values of empathy, inclusion, and advocacy, this festival is more than just a celebration of cinema — it’s a platform for truth-telling, for amplifying the voices of the unheard, and for using the power of film to inspire meaningful change.

As a social worker and community organizer, I believe deeply in the transformative power of storytelling. The representation of BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+, women, immigrants, and other marginalized communities is not just important — it’s essential. When our stories are seen and heard, healing begins, bridges are built, and justice becomes possible.

Wishing the festival continued success in building a more compassionate and equitable world, one film at a time.

Warm regards,

Alex Sangha

Alex Sangha Founder, Sher Vancouver

Co-Founder, Sundar Prize Film Festival

AttheheartoftheSundarPrizeisamissiontorecognizefilmsthatnotonlycaptivate butalsoinspireaction—filmsthatgivevoicetotheunheard,shedlightonpressing socialissues,andfosterempathy,understanding,andjustice.Fromhumanrightsand socialjusticetoclimatechangeandmarginalizedcommunities,yourworkisa testamenttothetransformativepowerofcinema.

SundarPrizeFilmFestivalstronglyalignswithCreativeBC’smissiontoelevate diversepeopleandthestoriesbehindthem.Filmhastheextraordinarypowertobridge divides,challengeperspectives,andignitemovements.Sundar’sdedicationto impactfulstorytellingisshapingtheculturalandsociallandscape,ensuringthat importantnarrativesarenotonlyheardbutfelt.

CreativeBCisgratefultotheteamthatmakethisfestivalpossible.Together,you continuetocreatespaceforimpact,resonance,andcreativity.Congratulationson anotheroutstandingseason!

PremGill ChiefExecutiveOfficer,CreativeBC

ChiefExecutiveOfficer,CreativeBC

PROGRAMME 2025

DAY 1

Opening night

Thursday, April 10th at SFU Surrey Campus

Dreams & Petals: A Night of Enchantment

5:30 PM – Doors Open | Red Carpet & Photos

6:00 PM – Opening Remarks (30 min)

6:30 PM – Screening begins.

Have I Swallowed Your Dreams

British Columbia, 2024, 6 min, Clara Chan

Paper Flowers

United States, 2024, 1 hr 41 min, Mahesh Pailoor

8:30 PM – Q&A with Filmmakers

Clara Chan, Mahesh Pailoor (TBD) and Asit Vyas (TBD).

Moderated by Sidartha Murjani

9:00 PM – Reception

Catering by Tayybeh

9:30 PM – Open Mic Pitch Session

Sign-up required

11:00 PM – Close

Q & A Sponsor:

DAY 2

Sundar Prize Venue: Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford on Friday, April 11th

Reclaiming Futures: A Call to Protect and Preserve

12:00 PM – Screening begins.

Throwaway Living 

(United States, 2024, 4 min, Laura Malatos)

HA NII TOKXW: Our Food Table

(British Columbia, 2023, 40 min, Farhan Umedaly)

The Stand

(British Columbia, 2023, 94 min, Christopher Auchter)

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM Panel Discussion

Moderator: Baneet Braich, CBC | Panelists: Farhan Umedaly (Director), Christopher Auchter (Director), Gitanyow & Haida Nation (TBD) representatives

Panel Sponsored by:

Shorts Program 1 Courage Unscripted –Moments of Fearless Authenticity

3:15 PM – Screening begins

Different Kind of Sick

(British Columbia, 2024, 14 min, Nightingale)

Lupe Q and the Galactic Corn Cake

(British Columbia, 2024, 4 min, Javier Badillo)

Mannequin

(British Columbia, 2024, 12 min, Ramgopal Rajagopalan)

Female and Furious

(British Columbia, 2024, 5 min, Siddharth Sanjay, Logan Ferino)

Lifers

(British Columbia, 2024, 12 min, Ranjit Samra)

Warmest Regards, E ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 7 min, Tina Nowarre, Shireen Dalbey)

Beyond the Reins

(Canada, 2024, 6 min, Magill Moyes)

Kids Are Only Kids Once

(British Columbia, 2024, 11 min, Alysha Collie, Dallas Yellowfly)

Bubble Gum Ice Cream

(British Columbia, 2024, 4 min, Tegan Rane Dobrich, Huy Hoang)

the eulogy.

(British Columbia, 2024, 13 min, Grace Chin)

Q & A Sponsor:

Jia 

(Australia, 2024, 15 min, Vee Shi)

5:00 PM – Q&A with Filmmakers in attendance

Moderator: Chhavi Disawar

Spirit and Resilience: A Vaisakhi Celebration

6:00 PM – Screening begins.

Lullaby for Gulli ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 8 min, Dallas Sauer)

Mareya Shot Keetha Goal: Make the Shot ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 72 min, Baljit Sangra, Nilesh Patel)

7:20 PM – 8:15 PM – Panel Discussion

Moderator: Sidartha Murjani

Panelists: Film Cast

Panel Sponsor: Sponsored by: Community Partner:

Shorts Program 2

The Human Mosaic –Dreams, Loss, and New Beginnings

8:30 PM – Screening begins

Q & A Sponsor:

A Summer's End Poem 

(China, 2024, 15 min, Lam Can-zhao)

New Blood ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 5 min, Ethan Wingrove)

Jumpstart ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 10 min, Gur-Inder Singh, Harnoor Gill)

Stand In ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 11 min, Hiromu Yamawaki)

Out Beyond

(United States, 2024, 5 min, Salman Alam Khan)

The Pringle Mingle ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 14 min, Jenny Lee-Gilmore)

Close Shave ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 5 min, Marc Yungco)

Mirthless 

(British Columbia, 2024, 12 min, Tina Kardan)

Choose The Correct Answer A, B, C or ... 

HATCH

(British Columbia, 2024, 6 min, Seung Yeon You)

(Canada, 2024, 10 min, Alireza Kazemipour, Panta Mosleh)

9:50 PM – 10:30 PM – Q&A with Filmmakers in attendance

Moderator: Ian Frayne

DAY 3

Sundar Prize Venue: Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford on Saturday, April 12th

12:15 PM – Screening begins

Velvet Secrets ♦

Redefining Her Story

(British Columbia, 2024, 10 min, Shanthini Balasubramanian)

Teresa’s Choice ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 10 min, Marlene Castaños Ortega)

(United States, 2024, 93 min, Gayatri Everitt Bajpai)

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM – Panel Discussion

Moderator: Gayatri Everitt Bajpai (Editor and Director)

Panelists: Marlene Castaños Ortega (Director), Shanthini Balasubramanian (Director), Rashmi Rustagi (Actor and Executive Producer)

Community Partner: Panel Sponsored by:

Sundar Prize Venue: Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford on Saturday, April 13th

Rewriting Queer Representation

3:15 PM – Screening begins

My Roommate Ahriman ♦ (British Columbia, 2023, 17 min, Nessa Aref)

Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot ♦ (Canada, 2024, 105 min, Regan Latimer)

5:15 PM – 6:15 PM – Panel Discussion

Moderator: Carolyn Mauricette

Panelists: Nessa Aref (Director), Regan Latimer (Director) (TBD), Francis Dowlatabadi (TBD) Greg Chan (TBD)

Panel Sponsored by:

Community Partner:

Shorts Program 3 Threads of Memory

6:30 PM – Screening begins

Mirage

(United States, 2024, 18 min, Jhanvi Motla)

Tehran Is Ours 

(United States, 2024, 6 min, Hamideh Azimi)

Bardo ♦

(Canada, 2024, 16 min, Mishki Vaccaro)

Desync

(Canada, 2023, 12 min, Minerva Marie Navasca)

LOOK

(British Columbia, 2024, 11 min, Georgia Tindle Acken)

A Simple Ask

(United States, 2024, 9 min, Nadya Naumaan)

Conviction ♦

(British Columbia, 2022, 13 min, Bruce Thomas Miller)

Whispers of Colors 

(United States, 2024, 4 min, Sujin Kim)

FLIGHT 182

(United States, 2024, 17 min, Rippin Sindher)

8:00 PM – 8:30 PM – Filmmaker Q & A

Moderator: Amit Dhuga Panelists: Filmmakers in attendance

Q & A Sponsored by:

DAY 4

Sundar Prize Venue: Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford on Saturday, April 13th

Harvesting Hope – Food as Healing and Activism

12:00 PM – Screening begins

A Nation’s Table (Canada, 2024, 11 min, Garrett Smith)

Tea Creek (British Columbia, 2024, 75 min, Ryan David Lee Dickie)

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM – Panel Discussion

Moderator: Sidartha Murjani

Panelists: Ben Cox (Producer), Indigenous community members (TBD)

Unseen Palestine

2:15 PM – Screening begins

Mawtini (My Homeland) ♦

(Canada, 2023, 18 min, Fateema Al-Hamaydeh Miller)

The Poem We Sang ♦

(Canada/Jordan/Palestine, 2024, 20 min, Annie Sakab)

This is Who We Are  (UK, 2024, 45 min, Peter Lilly)

3:40 PM – 4:15 PM – Panel Discussion

Moderator: Annie Ohana

Panelists: Rena Dine (Actor), Peter Lilly (Filmmaker)

DAY 4 Life in Full Color –Celebrating Queer Triumphs

4:30 PM – Screening begins

Body Varial ♦

(British Columbia, 2024, 15 min, Audrey Kerridge)

Canyon Chorus 

(United States, 2023, 17 min, Chris Cresci)

Leilani’s Fortune ♦

(Canada, 2023, 80 min, Loveleen Kaur)

6:30 PM – 7:15 PM – Panel Discussion

Moderator: King Louie Palomo

Panelists: Loveleen Kaur (Filmmaker), Audrey Kerridge (Filmmaker), Alex Sangha (Founder of Sher Vancouver)

Panel Sponsored by: Community Partner:

DAY 4

Closing night & Award Ceremony

Sunday, April 13th Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford

The Fragility of Forever

7:30 PM – Screening begins.

HOLY HEAV NESs 

Canada, 2024, 6 min, Farnoosh Abedi Renani, Negah Khezre Fardiar Dad

Firma Aquí/Sign Here ♦ (Mexico, 2024, 94 min, Enrique Vázquez)

Q&A with Filmmakers in attendance

9:00 PM – Award Ceremony

Q & A Sponsored by:

THE NOMINEES ARE... 2025 SPFF

Congratulations to all the nominees of the second annual Sundar Prize Film Festival, where cinema meets social change.

Shortlisted submissions were submitted to a jury that reviewed 100s of ﬁlm submissions from around the world and selected two-three nominees for each category based on merits, social justice themes and alignment to this year's festival theme: Life In Motion; Journeys of Growth And Discovery.

This year’s selection highlights extraordinary talent across 12 diverse categories, celebrating the very best in ﬁlmmaking. The prestigious winners of the 2025 Sundar Prize will be announced after the closing night screening on April 13th at the Landmark Cinemas in Surrey, Guildford.

Best Youth Film (19 and under)

$500 CAD Cash Award

LOOK

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. GEORGIA TINDLE ACKEN

A young girl haunted by loneliness makes friends in the unlikeliest of places.

Velvet Secrets

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. SHANTHINI BALASUBRAMANIAN

Asha’s life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a revealing red velvet dress in her daughter's room. Her curiosity leads her to try it on, sparking a journey of self-exploration and empathy.

$1,000 Cash Award

This is Who We Are

A vibrant look at Palestine’s skateboarding culture, highlighting community resilience and youthful defiance amidst adversity. UK, 2024, DIR. PETER LILLY

Canyon Chorus

A touching story of mentorship, friendship, and reflection within the LGBTQ+ community.

UNITED STATES, 2023, DIR. CHRIS CRESCI

Best Feature Film $2500 CAD Cash Award

Paper Flowers

UNITED STATES, 2024, DIR. MAHESH PAILOOR BC PREMIERE

Firma Aquí/Sign Here

MEXICO, 2024, 94 MIN, ENRIQUE VÁZQUEZ

SURREY PREMIERE

Love forever is a thing of the past. That's why there is an algorithm that matches couples every four years. Fran meets Roque, with whom she feels something unimaginable. Would it be tragic if they dare to stay together for more than four years?

A USC grad's quest for change in Peru is cut short by cancer. Back home, he finds strength in his family and his college love. Shalin's viral manifesto urges cherishing every moment, a true tale of love, legacy, and now.

Designed by Preeti

UNITED STATES, 2024, 93 MIN, GAYATRI EVERITT BAJPAI CANADIAN PREMIERE

Designed by Preeti is a compelling and heartfelt romantic drama about Preeti Kumar, a resilient woman in her 50s who courageously escapes an oppressive and unfaithful marriage.

Best Short Film $500 CAD Cash Award

Mirage

UNITED STATES, 2024, DIR. JHANVI MOTLA

Recently widowed, Nitya, leaves Mumbai to work at the El Mirage. A motel owned by her distant cousin Mohan and located in the California desert. Within days of her arrival however she begins to learn that Mohan is not as forthcoming about his business dealings and her quest for answers reveals dangerous truths.

FLIGHT 182

UNITED STATES, 2024, DIR. RIPPIN SINDHER

With his mother’s final days slipping away, a devoted husband faces an impossible choice: board the next flight to India to see her one last time or heed warnings from a separatist group openly seeking revenge against the government. Based on the biggest attack before 9/11.

The Poem We Sang

CANADA/JORDAN/PALESTINE, 2024, DIR. ANNIE SAKAB

The Poem We Sang is a 20-minute, colour and black and white, experimental documentary that meditates on love and longing - the love of one's family and the longing for one's home, contemplated through overcoming the trauma of loss of family home and of forced migration, transforming lifelong regrets into a healing journey of creative catharsis and bearing witness.

Best Canadian Documentary

$2,500 Cash Award

Mareya Shot Keetha Goal: Make the Shot

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2023, DIRS. BALJIT SANGRA, NILESH PATEL

This warm and inspiring documentary shines a light on South Asian hockey hopefuls, profiling a handful of West Coast athletes, each of them hoping to make it to the NHL, as well as a former coach whose decades in the game have done nothing to wear down his enthusiasm. From these human sources, we get a portrait of resilience and grit.

Leilani’s Fortune

CANADA, 2024, DIR. LOVELEEN KAUR

A portrait of queer artist Witch Prophet’s journey toward musical success and self-discovery.

Tea Creek

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. RYAN DAVID LEE DICKIE

Against the backdrop of colonization and the climate crisis, passionate Indigenous entrepreneur Jacob Beaton sets out to turn his family farm into a centre for food sovereignty, resilience and healing for his remote northern community and beyond.

Best Emerging Filmmaker Residency Award

$1,000 CAD Cash + $10,000 Gift Certificate from Keslow Camera

Velvet Secrets

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. SHANTHINI BALASUBRAMANIAN

Asha’s life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a revealing red velvet dress in her daughter's room. Her curiosity leads her to try it on, sparking a journey of selfexploration and empathy.

Warmest Regards, E

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIRS. TINA NOWARRE, SHIREEN DALBEY

A young, melancholic woman is sent to the seaside by her dissatisfied husband to regulate and mend her disagreeable state. Isolated, she is forced to come to terms with her truest form.

Mirthless

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. TINA KARDAN

Mirthless, an award winning haunting sci-fi thriller, dives into the consequences of a near-future society grappling with technology's grip on human emotion.

Best BC Feature Film

$1,000 CAD Cash Award

Mareya Shot Keetha Goal: Make the Shotot

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2023, DIRS. BALJIT SANGRA, NILESH PATEL

The Stand

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2023, DIR. CHRISTOPHER AUCHTER

A moving retelling of the Haida Nation’s historic 1985 blockade to protect their sacred lands, changing the future of Indigenous environmental activism in Canada.

Tea Creek

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. RYAN DAVID LEE DICKIE

Best BC Short Film

$500 CAD + $10,000 Gift Certificate by Sparky's Film Rentals

Stand In

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. HIROMU YAMAWAKI

Kenji, an aspiring Japanese actor by day and an Uber driver by night, frequently finds himself standing in for his more successful rival, Chris, an established Asian actor. One evening, Kenji unknowingly picks up Chris as a passenger, and their ride takes an unexpected turn

HATCH

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIRS. ALIREZA KAZEMIPOUR, PANTA MOSLEH

An Afghan refugee boy hides with his mother inside a moving water tanker trying to cross the border to safety. Losing his mother in the process, NAAJI forever tries to find a way to relive his last memory of her.

Teresa’s Choice

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. MARLENE CASTAÑOS ORTEGA

When the world pandemic strikes, fortysomething Teresa must overcome her fear of dying and decide if she wants to have a child conceived as a single mother through artificial insemination.

Best Environmental Film

$1,000

CAD Cash Award

This is Who We Are

A vibrant look at Palestine’s skateboarding culture, highlighting community resilience and youthful defiance amidst adversity. UK, 2024, 45 MIN, DIR. PETER LILLY WORLD PREMIERE

Tea Creek

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. RYAN DAVID LEE DICKIE

HA NII TOKXW: Our Food Table

CANADA, 2024, DIR. LOVELEEN KAUR

An intimate portrayal of the Gitanyow First Nation’s struggle to preserve their traditional food systems in the face of climate change and industrialization.

Best Animation

$1,000 CAD Cash Award

Have I Swallowed Your Dreams

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. CLARA CHAN

HOLY HEAV NESs

IRAN, 2024, DIRS. FARNOOSH ABEDI RENANI, NEGAH KHEZRE FARDIARDAD

The weight of the death of loved ones sometimes becomes so overwhelming that to get rid of this weight another birth is inevitable.

A poetic conversation unfolds between an immigrant daughter and her mother, exploring sacrifices, dreams, and generational hopes.

Whispers of Colors

UNITED STATES, 2024, DIR. SUJIN KIM

Born and raised as a mixed-race child in the aftermath of the Korean War (19501953), recounts his feelings of being out of place and his longing for the American soldier father he never knew. The animation poetically translates Joonho Kim's words into visual form.

Best 2SLGBTQ+ Film

$1,000 CAD Cash Award

Jia

AUSTRALIA, 2024, DIR. VEE SHI BC PREMIERE

Ming, a grieving Chinese mother, arrives in Australia to embark on a road trip with a young Caucasian man, Eric to remember her late son. But she soon discovers that Eric was in a romantic relationship with her son, which clashes with her conservative values.

Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot

CANADA, 2024, DIR. REGAN LATIMER SURREY PREMIERE

In ‘Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot,’ filmmaker Regan Latimer takes an insightful, funny and personal look at queer representation on television and media’s power to shape how we see ourselves.

Leilani’s Fortune

CANADA, 2024, DIR. LOVELEEN KAUR

A portrait of queer artist Witch Prophet’s journey toward musical success and self-discovery.

Best Student Film $500 CAD Cash Award

Body Varial

BRITISH COLUMBIA, 2024, DIR. AUDREY KERRIDGE SURREY PREMIERE

After recently undergoing top surgery, a transmasculine skateboarder attempts to reintegrate themselves back into their daily life. Throughout their recovery, they discover newfound struggles both physically and mentally in life post-operation.