Sundar Prize Film Festival

Sundar Prize Film Festival
Sundar Prize Film Festival stacked logo
White and yellow Sundar Prize Film Festival stacked logo
Sundar Prize Film Festival stacked logo
LocationSurrey, British Columbia, Canada
Founded23 December 2022 (2022-12-23)
Founded byAmar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar
Most recent2026
Hosted bySher Pride
Festival dateApril 23 to 26, 2026
LanguageInternational
Websitesundarprize.com

The Sundar Prize Film Festival is an annual film festival in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2022 by Amar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar, the festival presents films focused on social impact and underrepresented perspectives.[1] According to the festival's official website, it is an IMDb-qualifying festival.[2]

The festival's programming has included narrative, documentary, animation, student, and British Columbia film categories, as well as panel discussions and networking events.[3][4]

As of 2026, Sidartha Murjani, serves as the festival's Executive Director and Senior Programmer.[5][6]

History

The Sundar Prize Film Festival was announced in 2023 as a new Surrey-based film festival and prize program organized through Sher Vancouver, now Sher Pride.[1] Early coverage described the event as a new international film competition intended to bring socially impactful films to Surrey.[1]

The inaugural edition took place on June 15 and 16, 2024, in Surrey City Hall.[3] Coverage of the first festival highlighted its theme of "celebrating human resilience" with films such as Rosie and Eternal Spring, and its emphasis on socially engaged filmmaking and underrepresented voices.[3][7]

The second edition was held in April 2025 and expanded to multiple venues, including Simon Fraser University Surrey and Landmark Cinemas Guildford.[8] Reporting on the 2025 event described it as a multi-day festival with screenings, discussions, and an awards presentation.[9]

The festival's third annual edition was held from April 23 to 26, 2026, with programming at the North Delta Centre for the Arts in Delta and Landmark Cinemas Guildford in Surrey.[10][11] The 2026 festival was themed "Home Is Complicated, So Are We" and included screenings, panel discussions, filmmaker question-and-answer sessions, receptions, a pitch session, and an awards ceremony.[11] Coverage of the 2026 edition highlighted films including Saints and Warriors, One Day This Kid, ripe, Ambush, Blood Lines, Calorie, Bayaan, and The Fire in Our Hearts.[12][13][14][15]

Programming

The festival focuses on films addressing social issues and communities including human rights, migration, social justice, environmental concerns, and marginalized groups.[1][3] Coverage of the inaugural edition noted a lineup of films from Canada and other countries alongside panel discussions and networking receptions.[4]

In 2025, festival coverage reported increased Canadian and British Columbia representation in the lineup, including documentary, narrative, and short film programming.[8] Articles on the 2025 edition also highlighted the event's emphasis on women directors, BIPOC filmmakers, and queer representation.[9]

Awards

The festival presents juried awards in multiple categories. The inaugural festival presented cash prizes for categories including feature films, documentary, short film, animation, and student film.[1][16]

For the 2025[17][18] and 2026 edition, the festival expanded and revised several award categories, including separate feature and short documentary awards, a short animation award, a Spiritual, Health, and Wellness category, a BC Student Film Showcase, The Performer's Mastery Award for Outstanding BC Performance, and the introduction of the BC Youth Storyteller's Contest.[19][20][21][22]

According to the festival's FilmFreeway listing, the 2027 edition is scheduled to present the following juried awards and cash prizes:[23]

Award Prize
Best Feature Film (Narrative Live Action) $1,000 CAD
Best Short Film (Narrative Live Action) $500 CAD
Best Feature Documentary $1,000 CAD
Best Short Documentary $500 CAD
Best Short Animation $500 CAD
Best Environmental Film $500 CAD
Best Spiritual, Health, and Wellness Film $500 CAD
Best 2SLGBTQ+ Film $1,000 CAD
Best Youth Film (19 and under) $300 CAD
Best Student Film $300 CAD
Best British Columbia Feature Film $1,000 CAD
Best British Columbia Short Film $500 CAD
BC Student Film Showcase $750 CAD, $500 CAD, and $300 CAD
Best Emerging Filmmaker Residency Prize sponsored by KDocsFF $1,000 CAD

Based on the festival's FilmFreeway listing, the nominees and award-winning films are expected to be announced at the closing ceremony on the last day of the festival, which for the 2027 edition would be April 25, 2027.[23]

Venues

The inaugural 2024 edition was held at Surrey City Hall.[3] By 2025, the festival had expanded to Simon Fraser University Surrey and Landmark Cinemas Guildford.[8][9] The 2026 edition was held across two venues, with programming on April 23 and 24 at the North Delta Centre for the Arts in Delta, and programming on April 25 and 26 at Landmark Cinemas Guildford in Surrey.[10][11][13]

FilmFreeway lists the 2027 festival as returning to Landmark Cinemas Guildford in Surrey and the North Delta Centre for the Arts in Delta, although specific day-by-day programming by venue had not yet been announced.[23]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Barcellos, Kai (February 23, 2023). "The first Sundar Prize opens submissions for films with social impact". The Runner. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Home". Sundar Prize Film Festival. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Duong, Vicki (June 3, 2024). "Inaugural Sundar Prize Film Festival reveals lineup". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Sundar Prize Film Festival". Stir. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  5. ↑ "VFS Alumni Head Sundar Prize Film Festival". Vancouver Film School. May 1, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ "3 VFS alumni/faculty films selected for Sundar Prize Film Festival 2026". Vancouver Film School. April 21, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  7. ↑ "TV & Film News – Bones of Crows leads Leo Awards nominees". Broadcast Dialogue. May 25, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 "April dates, details for 2nd Sundar Prize film fest at 2 Surrey theatres". Surrey Now-Leader. February 19, 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "'Life in Motion' at 2nd Sundar Prize Film Festival in Surrey this week". Surrey Now-Leader. April 7, 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "2026 Program Summary". Sundar Prize Film Festival. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 "2026 Program Guide" (PDF). Sundar Prize Film Festival. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Sundar Prize Film Festival announces 2026 lineup highlighting Canadian-made titles". Stir. February 23, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  13. 1 2 Zillich, Tom (April 20, 2026). "See 62 films at Sundar Prize festival in Surrey, North Delta this week". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  14. ↑ Michaels, Kathy (May 15, 2026). "Kelowna filmmaker's wildfire documentary earns global acclaim". Castanet. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  15. ↑ Smith, Charlie (March 29, 2026). "Eisha Marjara's richly textured Calorie stands as a testament to the power of Canadian filmmaking". Pancouver. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Prize fight: Boxing drama among winning films at Surrey's new Sundar fest, June 15–16". Peace Arch News. June 4, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  17. ↑ "'Tea Creek' and other prize-winning films at Sundar festival in Surrey". Surrey Now-Leader. April 15, 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  18. ↑ Smith, Janet (April 14, 2025). "Tea Creek and Firma Aquí take top awards at Sundar Prize Film Festival". Stir. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  19. ↑ "2026 Winners". Sundar Prize Film Festival. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  20. ↑ Smith, Charlie (May 4, 2026). "Sundar Prize Film Festival honours Bayaan as Best Feature Film - Narrative Live Action". Pancouver. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Bayaan and Saints and Warriors among this year's Sundar Prize Film Festival winners". Stir. April 27, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  22. ↑ Zillich, Tom (April 28, 2026). "Sundar prizes aplenty at film-fest awards event in Surrey". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 "Sundar Prize Film Festival". FilmFreeway. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
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