From a media release
The Sundar Prize Film Festival 2025 Celebrates Women Filmmakers With Powerful Stories
April 9 to 13, 2025
- Find The Program & Tickets Here
Surrey, BC – The Sundar Prize Film Festival 2025 proudly champions the voices of women in film, showcasing a powerful lineup of stories shaped by women storytellers. With 54% of this year’s official selections directed by women, the festival reaffirms its commitment to uplifting underrepresented voices and celebrating stories of resilience, identity, and empowerment. Several featured films have also received prestigious nominations, recognizing their outstanding contributions to storytelling and cinematic excellence.
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| Still from the animated film Have I Swallowed Your Dreams (British Columbia, 2024, 6 min, dir. Clara Chan) |
Alex Sangha, Festival Co-Founder comments,
"At the heart of the Sundar Prize is a belief in the power of diverse voices to create real change. This year, we’re incredibly proud that over half of our selected films are directed by women—bold, brilliant storytellers who are challenging narratives, shifting perspectives, and inspiring action through film."
"As a jury member, it’s been deeply moving to witness the artistry and emotional depth in the stories told by women filmmakers this year. These films don’t just entertain—they confront, empower, and heal. It’s an honour to help spotlight such courageous and visionary work," adds Vinay Giridhar, Festival Co-Founder and Finalist Jury Member.
Women Filmmakers at Sundar Prize Film Festival 2025
"Programming this year’s festival was a powerful reminder of how essential women’s perspectives are to the future of cinema. These films speak to lived experiences with authenticity and strength, and we’re excited for audiences to engage with stories that are as transformative as they are unforgettable," says Sidartha Murjani, Executive Director and Senior Programmer.
Here's a look at the films by women at this year's festival.
● Have I Swallowed Your Dreams (British Columbia, 2024, 6 min, dir. Clara Chan) – Surrey Premiere [Nominated: Best Animation] A poetic conversation unfolds between an immigrant daughter and her mother, exploring sacrifices, dreams, and generational hopes.
● Beyond the Reins (Canada, 2024, 6 min, dir. Magill Moyes) [Nominated: Best Student Film] A story of empowerment through the bond between a girl with an intellectual disability and her horse.
● Kids Are Only Kids Once (British Columbia, 2024, 11 min, dirs. Alysha Collie, Dallas Yellowfly) – Surrey Premiere [Indigenous] A documentary exposing the devastating impacts of child apprehensions in BC and sharing a powerful vision for change.
● Velvet Secrets (British Columbia, 2024, 10 min, dir. Shanthini Balasubramanian) – Surrey Premiere [Nominated: KDocsFF Best Emerging Filmmaker Residency Award, Best Youth Film] 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.
● Teresa’s Choice (British Columbia, 2024, 10 min, dir. Marlene Castaños Ortega) – Surrey Premiere [Nominated: Best BC Short Film] When the world pandemic strikes, forty-something Teresa must overcome her fear of dying and decide if she wants to have a child conceived as a single mother through artificial insemination.
● Designed by Preeti (United States, 2024, 93 min, dir. Gayatri Everitt Bajpai) – Canadian Premiere [Nominated: Best Feature Film] A compelling and heartfelt romantic drama about Preeti Kumar, a resilient woman in her 50s who courageously escapes an oppressive and unfaithful marriage. Assets.
● The Poem We Sang (Canada/Jordan/Palestine, 2024, 20 min, dir. Annie Sakab) – Surrey Premiere [Nominated: Best Short Film] A meditation on love and longing, contemplating forced migration and the trauma of losing one's family home, transforming regret into creative catharsis.
● Leilani’s Fortune (Canada, 2023, 80 min, dir. Loveleen Kaur) – Surrey Premiere [Nominated: Best 2SLGBTQ+ Film, Best Canadian Documentary] An intimate documentary following queer Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet as she pursues her musical dreams while navigating cultural expectations and self-discovery.
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| Still from the film Leilana'a Fortune Leilani’s Fortune (Canada, 2023, 80 min, dir. Loveleen Kaur) |
● Throwaway Living (United States, 2024, 4 min, dir. Laura Malatos) – Canadian Premiere. A housewife trapped in a 1950s ad campaign becomes the unwitting messenger for a world consumed by plastic.
● Different Kind of Sick (British Columbia, 2024, 14 min, dir. Nightingale) A 6-year-old girl, Lily, witnesses her parents’ fight for the first time. As she fights for the truth, she uncovers more than she expected.
● Female and Furious (British Columbia, 2024, 5 min, dirs. Siddharth Sanjay, Logan Ferino) – Surrey Premiere. After escaping from Winnipeg, Rager Rip struggles to overcome her anger issues in order to join Storm’s skate gang.
● Mareya Shot Keetha Goal: Make the Shot (British Columbia, 2023, 72 min, dirs. Baljit Sangra, Nilesh Patel) – Surrey Premiere [Nominated for: Best Canadian Documentary, Best British Columbia Feature Film]
● The Pringle Mingle (British Columbia, 2024, 14 min, dir. Jenny Lee-Gilmore) – Surrey Premiere A couple’s romantic getaway takes an unexpected turn when they realize they’ve accidentally booked themselves into a swinger’s home.
● Mirthless (British Columbia, 2024, 12 min, dir. Tina Kardan) – Canadian Premiere [Nominated: KDocsFF Best Emerging Filmmaker Residency Award] A haunting sci-fi thriller that delves into the consequences of a near-future society grappling with technology’s grip on human emotion.
● Choose The Correct Answer A, B, C or ... (British Columbia, 2024, 6 min, dir. Seung Yeon You) – World Premiere. A student’s stress-induced nightmare about an English listening test unfolds in a surreal and comedic fashion.
● HATCH (Canada, 2024, 10 min, dirs. Alireza Kazemipour, Panta Mosleh) – Surrey Premiere [Nominated: Best BC Short Film] An Afghan refugee boy hides with his mother inside a moving water tanker 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.
● My Roommate Ahriman (British Columbia, 2023, 17 min, dir. Nessa Aref) – Surrey Premiere A young Iranian-Canadian man comes to terms with his sexuality while inadvertently cohabitating with an ancient Persian Spirit of Chaos.
● Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot (Canada, 2024, 105 min, dir. Regan Latimer) [Nominated: Best 2SLGBTQ+ Film] – Surrey Premiere. A witty and insightful documentary exploring queer representation in television and how media narratives shape identity and perception.
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| Still from the film Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot (Canada, 2024, 105 min, dir. Regan Latimer) |
● Mirage (United States, 2024, 18 min, dir. Jhanvi Motla) [Nominated: Best Short Film]
A newly widowed woman moves from Mumbai to California, only to discover unsettling truths about her cousin’s mysterious business dealings.
● Tehran Is Ours (United States, 2024, 6 min, dir. Hamideh Azimi) – BC Premiere
A young woman joins protests on the city streets of Tehran, only to face brutal police resistance.
● Bardo (Canada, 2024, 16 min, dir. Mishki Vaccaro) Surrey Premiere A meditation on grief and acceptance, following a woman navigating the aftermath of her mother’s passing.
● Desync (Canada, 2023, 12 min, dir. Minerva Marie Navasca) [Nominated: Best Student Film] A young Filipina filmmaker attempts to overwrite a painful memory of her mother with a perfect narrative. Assets.
● LOOK (British Columbia, 2024, 11 min, dir. Georgia Tindle Acken) [Nominated: Best Youth Film] A young girl haunted by loneliness makes friends in the unlikeliest of places.
● Whispers of Colors (United States, 2024, 4 min, dir. Sujin Kim) – Canadian Premiere [Nominated: Best Animation] An animated short that translates the poetic longing of a Korean War survivor into visual form.
● FLIGHT 182 (United States, 2024, 17 min, Dir. Rippin Sindher) [Nominated: Best Short Film] A harrowing true story about a man forced to choose between seeing his dying mother one last time or heeding a terrorist warning.
● Mawtini (My Homeland) (Canada, 2023, 18 min, Dir. Fateema Al-Hamaydeh Miller) – Surrey Premiere.
A young Palestinian woman and an Indigenous elder come together to fight for food sovereignty in their urban community.
An Eco-Conscious Trophy for a Justice-Driven Festival
More than a symbol of cinematic excellence, the Sundar Prize Trophy reflects the festival’s commitment to sustainability and social impact. Handcrafted from eco-friendly bamboo by Watson Design in Squamish, BC, and artfully designed by Vinay Giridhar, Co-Founder of the Sundar Prize and a celebrated artist and filmmaker from Surrey, the trophy represents the intersection of artistry, ethics, and environmental stewardship.
- View the Sundar Prize Trophy here
Supporting Filmmakers and Social Impact Through $45,000 in Prizes
The Sundar Prize Film Festival remains one of the most filmmaker-friendly events in Canada, offering nearly $45,000 in cash prizes and in-kind sponsorships. These include:
- Free courses from Vancouver Film School
- Industry equipment and services from Sparky’s Film Rentals and Keslow Camera
- Distribution offers from Moving Images Distribution for winning BC filmmakers
- A four-month Emerging Filmmaker Residency at KDocsFF and Kwantlen Polytechnic University with access to professional mentorship, test audiences, and filmmaking tools
Festival Schedule
Festival Pre-Launch – We Will Be Brave Screening
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
VIFF Centre – VIFF Cinema | 6:30 PM
Get Tickets Herehttps://viff.org/whats-on/we-will-be-brave/
Opening Night & Networking Reception with Open Mic Pitch Session
Thursday, April 10, 2025
SFU Surrey Campus | 5:30 PM onwards
Film Screenings & Panels
Friday, April 11 – Sunday, April 13, 2025
Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Awards Ceremony & Closing Night
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM
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