Surrey, BC – The 2nd Annual Sundar Prize Film Festival, taking place April 10–13, 2025, is set to showcase a compelling lineup of films that reflect the festival’s theme, “Life in Motion: Journeys of Growth and Discovery.” Held at SFU Surrey and Landmark Cinemas Guildford, the festival will feature a diverse slate of 54 films, panels, and special events that spotlight underrepresented voices and celebrate the transformative power of storytelling.
Following a highly successful inaugural year, the 2025 edition of the festival boasts an impressive 70% Canadian content, with 57% of selected films originating from British Columbia. The festival continues to champion diversity, with 54% of films directed by women and 67% by BIPOC filmmakers.
Full Program Line-Up and Tickets
SCHEDULE SUMMARY
Festival Pre-Launch – Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 – Location To Be Determined, Evening
Day 1 – Thursday, April 10, 2025 at SFU Surrey Campus, Opening Night and Networking Reception with Open Mic Pitch Session, 5:30 pm onwards – Event
Day 2 – Friday, April 11, 2025 at Landmark Cinemas, Guildford, 12 pm to 11 pm – Event
Day 3 – Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Landmark Cinemas, Guildford, 12 pm to 11 pm – Event
Day 4 – Sunday, April 13, 2025 at Landmark Cinemas, Guildford, Awards Ceremony and Closing Night, 12 pm to 11 pm – Event
FILM OUTLINE
Festival Pre-Launch – April 9th, 2025 – Location To Be Determined
● We Will Be Brave (Canada, 2023, 78 minutes) – by Chrisann Hessing in partnership with Story Money Impact.
WE WILL BE BRAVE follows the journey of Toronto’s “Good Guise” collective, who are committed to sparking conversations around healthy masculinity through art. From photography and beat-boxing to poetry and martial arts, the artists in the collective share their unique lived experiences and welcome others to join in their mission of finding radical alternatives to shame and punishment. As each of them grapple with upheavals in their personal lives, their resolve is further tested by a dire lack of resources and the burden of racialized discrimination. WE WILL BE BRAVE is a story about personal evolution, healing and an unlikely brotherhood forged in vulnerability.
Opening Night and Networking Reception include catering at SFU Surrey Campus – 5.30 pm onwards.
● Paper Flowers (USA, 2024, 101 mins) – by Mahesh Pailoor. At 22, SHALIN SHAH had it all — a loving and supportive family, the love of his life by his side, and a promising future ahead, filled with high-minded ideals of changing the world. A recent USC graduate, Shalin heads off to Peru to serve in the Peace Corps for two years.
The film has already earned accolades, winning the Social Impact & Vision award at the Ojai Film Festival (California, USA) and Best of Fest at Palm Springs International Film Festival, an Academy Award-qualifying event. Assets
Highlights of the Festival
● Vaisakhi Special Screening – Mareya Shot Keetha Goal (Make the Shot) (British Columbia, 2024, 72 mins) – by Baljit Sangra: 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.
Facing challenges from within on top of the physical demands of the sport, the young athletes must also confront a third obstacle: racial discrimination. Luckily, each of the players has spirit enough to smash their way through bigotry. Despite its moments of tragedy, the film’s dominant tone is one of uplift. Mareya Shot, Keetha Goal is a true crowd-pleaser, and not just for sports fans: come for the hockey, stay for the humanity.
Features Vancouver Canucks player Arshdeep Bains, making it a local highlight. Premiered at VIFF 2023. Assets
● Centrepiece – Indigenous Spotlight – Tea Creek (British Columbia, 2024, 78 mins) by 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
Winner of Best Documentary at Saskatchewan IFF and the Mark Haslam Award at Planet in Focus Film Festival. Assets
● 2SLGBTQ+ Spotlight 1 – Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot (Canada, 2024,105 mins) by 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. Witty, fast-paced and laced with pop culture references, Regan journeys across North America and beyond in her quest to understand the forces that influence the stories we see on our screens. Original animation and personal anecdotes are interwoven with wide ranging conversations with television insiders, LGBTQ+ community advocates and people who just love to watch TV. As Latimer navigates an ever-evolving media landscape, the filmmaker learns first hand that representation done well has the power to transform.
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary (image+nation Film Festival, Montreal), Best Documentary (FilmOut, San Diego), and Festival Favorite (Cinema Diverse, Palm Springs). Assets
● 2SLGBTQ+ Spotlight 2 – Leilani’s Fortune (Canada, 2023, 80 mins) by Loveleen Kaur offers an intimate and inspiring look at queer Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet, chronicling her journey in the music industry and her fight to create a groundbreaking album.
Witch Prophet’s second album, DNA Activation, was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. The film has been selected for Slamdance Film Festival (Utah), Cinéfest (Sudbury, Ontario) and Inside Out Film Festival (Toronto), all Oscar & Canadian Screen Award qualifying festivals. Assets
Closing Night Film
● Firma Aqui (Sign Here) (Mexico, 2023, 100 mins) by Enrique Vázquez. 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?
The film was selected in Marche Du Film, Fantastic Pavilion, Cannes Film Festival. Assets.
QUOTE
“This year’s programming is a true tapestry of storytelling—rich, diverse, and deeply resonant. We’ve curated a lineup that not only sheds light on complex and compelling narratives but also uplifts the voices of the communities they represent with authenticity and heart.”
Sidartha Murjani, Executive Director/Senior Programmer of the Sundar Prize Film Festival.
A Platform for Change
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is more than just a celebration of cinema—it’s a movement that fosters dialogue, representation, and social impact. The festival remains committed to offering cash awards for winners, travel support for filmmakers, and accessible community screenings, ensuring that powerful stories reach the audiences who need them most.
For more details and ticket information, visit sundarprize.com. Join us for four days of groundbreaking films, meaningful discussions, and a shared celebration of cinematic excellence.
