Filmi 21! Virtual Edition
Filmi Toronto’s South Asian Film Festival Celebrating 21 Years!
December 27th, 2020
21st Filmi: Toronto’s South Asian film festival
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Filmi Shorts: Baggage
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
Baggage
Directed by Harminder Phull
Length: 5:00 Minutes
Country: Canada
Year: 2013
Synopsis:
After making the difficult decision to immigrate to Canada from Punjab, Kuldeep finds
himself working long hours as a transport truck driver to support his young family and
parents back home. With the weight of paying for his daughters school, medical bills for his
parents and spending money he comes to a crossroad and makes a difficult decision. A
decision that many truck drivers are faced with and one which will affect both his future
and that of his family
Cast & Crew:
Story and Screenplay
Harminder Phull & Sachin Mahashi
Cast
Sachin Mahashi, Priya Mahashi,
Executive Producer -Sachin Mahashi
Music – Moby
Editing – Harminder Phull
Sound Design – Imran Ansari
DOP – Vik Moudgill
Director’s Bio:
Baggage is Harminder Phull’s first film.
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Filmi Shorts : Haircut
Friday, September 27th, 2013
Haircut
Directed by: Carrie Adelstein
Length: 10 Minutes
Country: Canada
Year: 2013
Cast: Loretta Yu, Gabe Grey
Synopsis:
“The Haircut”, a poignant tale of one man’s unexpected encounter in a Chinatown hair salon. When a young Muslim man, Ali, enters a Chinatown salon, he becomes captivated by the reflection of the delicate Chinese hairdresser as she works. This surprising connection shakes them both, confronting them with the expectations of the separate worlds in which they live.
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Filmi Shorts : Just A Prayer
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
World Premiere
JUST A PRAYER
Directed by Caris Reid
Length: 12:55 Minutes
Canada
‘Just A Prayer’ follows the story of Anita, a Muslim woman who seems to have everything, but who is deeply dissatisfied with her life and the path she sees ahead of herself. She makes a major decision that she believes will bring her happiness and opportunity, but that only brings her unexpected regret. Anita finds solace through a Catholic group, and a few years later, we find her living in a convent as a novice nun. The film is grounded in the present, but flows between her life now as a novice, and the events of five years ago.
Despite the controversial themes the story engages with, ‘Just A Prayer’ is not an examination of any particular issue or religion, but more a study of one woman who is stuck living in a pattern of discontent; who lets her need to escape fuel her decisions; who despite all the faith and structure and community she surrounds herself with, is always trying to find a way not to feel so alone.
The Team
Writer, Executive Producer and Lead Actor, Farah Merani has teamed up with an incredible roster of talent for Just A Prayer.
Director Caris Reid has a background in Camera Operating, Assistant Producing and Assistant Directing. Reid is an avid screenwriter and storyteller, having had a short script, Be There, selected as part of the development series ‘Writing Women’ where she met Merani and Producer, Lauren MacKinlay. Be There will be Reid’s 2nd piece of produced writing. Reid also wrote, directed and produced her first short film last year, The Personality of Numbers. Just A Prayer is Caris’ 2ndShort film as a Director.
Producer Lauren MacKinlay studied at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London UK, where she received an MA in Acting For Screen. Recently, MacKinlay served as Lead Producer with Merani for the Writing Women Screenplay Development Series, an extension of the Blue Flame Collective dedicated to female-focused films. MacKinlay is an Associate Artist of the Blue Flame Collective and a professional actress, working on the stage and screen in Toronto since 2009. She has also enjoyed producing 6 short films to date, including Kiss, for which she wrote, executive produced and served as lead actress.
Producer Kirsten Dahlin Nolan enjoys moving through mediums looking for the best way to tell stories. She grew up a dancer and musician, and later found strengths in acting and writing. Dahlin Nolan balances her creative roles with behind-the-scenes work as a Casting Associate in film and television, and a First AD on the award-winning web-series Gay Nerds. Kirsten is proud to play Producer for the first time on Just A Prayer.
The Cast
Farah Merani – Anita
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4011678/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Huse Madhavji – Aleem
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1455113/
Karen Ivany – Sister Claudette
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1350696/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Janice Giles – Tamara
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3310170/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Kirsten Dahlin Nolan – Novice Gabrielle
Lauren MacKinlay – Novice Katherine
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4930671/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Writer, Executive Producer and Lead Actor, Farah Merani
Farah Merani is a graduate of the Drama Centre London, London UK and holds a degree from Trinity College, University of Toronto. Upon returning to Canada in 2012, she joined the Blue Flame Collective and was the Lead Producer on the 2013 Slate entitled Village Global. She is also presently developing her first feature film, Goodnight, Amherst, slated for production in 2014 under her production company, Lifeguard Productions, as well as several other short film projects. As a professional actress, she has performed on stage and screen on both sides of the Atlantic, including at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Barbican, The Old Vic Tunnels, and the Arcola Theatre in London. Her TV credits include: BBC’s That’s English, The Listener, Lost Girl, Nikita, and Covert Affairs.
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Filmi Shorts: We Each Have Our Armies by Bobby Del Rio
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
World Premiere
WE EACH HAVE OUR ARMIES
Director/Writer : Bobby Del Rio
Length: 7 MInutes
Country: Canada
CAST : Evert Houston, Farah Merani
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY : Andrew Hunter
Synopsis:
A white man and his Indian girlfriend have their relationship torn apart by their families. They have one night to decide if they will be together forever, or never see each other again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoyYGTcMOO0&feature=player_embedded#t=13
Directors Bio:
Bobby Del Rio is an actor, writer, filmmaker and producer. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto/Sheridan College ‘Theatre and Drama Studies’ program.
He is the Founder/President of INCLUDE – Canada’s largest multicultural network in theatre/film/television. He has also been the Canadian Feature Film Programmer at ReelWorld Film Festival since 2010.
In the entertainment industry, Bobby started as an actor. But he is perhaps best known as a playwright. Titles of his plays include: The Market, Porn Life, in 40 years, Child Hood, Christian Values, When Children Fall, Professionally Ethnic and Half-Chinx Taking Over the World.
The Blue Flame Collective
The Village Global… The Blue Flame Collective is going international, right here at home. We’re going to truthfully celebrate our city and its inhabitants. To do this, special attention will be placed upon work that focuses on the culturally diverse cityscape that is Toronto. We’re looking to draw attention to our greatest unifying strength, our differences. Harmonic and disharmonic, it’s all included. Unabashedly set against the backdrop of our unique city and its urban eccentricities… we’re looking to capture and coin our own kind of Canadiana. More than this… we’re looking to influence and sway the independent cinema scene with what is singularly our city. We have witnessed our French filmmaking counterparts from Quebec, currently defining their own potent international filmmaking voice, and we are inspired. We feel it’s time for Toronto to make full use of its eclectic resources by defining its own distinctive claim to Canadian culture, and then amplifying those stories nationally and abroad. We’re looking to show the world our city and that starts with its people. We believe this city to be an abundant untapped supply of multicultural history and mythology rich with cinematic storytelling potential. We are the village global. We are all a part of what defines this city and we intend to celebrate its many voices. We believe we are at our very best when open and influenced by a wide variety of methods, meditations and motivations. We believe the practical application of best practices from a diverse base of composition, may be the key element to an artistic expression, quintessentially Canadian, and truly Toronto.
Blue Flame Collective’s 2013 Slate: Village Global with Production Stills from ‘We Each Have Our Armies’ written and directed by Bobby Del Rio, starring Farah Merani & Evert Houston.
From Associate Producers Farah Merani & Andre Sills And Executive Producers Oliver Ward & Evert Houston
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Filmi Shorts: Audition Day
FILMI SHORTS: Friday, September 27th, 2013, 6:30PM
Audition Day
Directed by Spencer Idenouye
Length: 3:18 Minutes
Country: Canada
Year: 2013
If there’s one thing that Canadian South Asian actors Richard Young and Huse Madhavji love just as much as making you laugh, it’s working together. And you’ll see that camaraderie when the flashy entertainment show “Media Entertainment Show” interviews them. That is, until they find out they’re auditioning for the same part. Then the actors turn into “actors”…
CREW:
Writer: Richard Young with Huse Madhavji
Produced by: Richard Young and Huse Madhavji
CAST:
Richard Young, Huse Madhavji, Rob Baker, Ashley Botting, Clara Pasieka, Ryan Fisher
Director:
Spencer Idenouye
After receiving a BFA in Media Arts & Digital Technologies from Alberta College of Art + Design, Spencer Idenouye was accepted into Sheridan College where he earned two post-graduate diplomas; one for directing and editing from the Advanced Television & Film program, and the other for Computer Animation Digital Visual Effects. Idenouye currently holds a research position at the Screen Industries Research and Training (SIRT) Center at Pinewood Toronto Studios exploring the art and practice of pre-visualization and virtual moviemaking, using cutting edge post- production and motion capture technologies. Idenouye is also one-third of the film production company Capture Scratch.
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Filmi Shorts : I Think I Know You
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30PM
I Think I Know You
Directed by Jeff Hanley
Length: 6:14 Minutes
Country: Canada
Year: 2013
Synopsis:
You’ve been there before. You’re hitting on this beautiful girl, but you have absolutely no idea where you know her from, let alone what her name is. Awkward indeed. So you could fake it until you remember, or you could just be honest and risk completely offending her. Huse Madhavji shows us what not to do.
CREW:
Writer: Huse Madhavji
Producers: Richard Young & Huse Madhavji
CAST:
Huse Madhavji, Andrea Drepaul, Richard Young, Adam Cawley
Director’s Bio:
Jeff Hanley is a graduate of the Toronto Film Schools, earning the school’s Producer’s Award in 2001. As an Assistant Director, Hanley’s credits include the features “Killer God”, “The Chester Kids” and “The Chair”. As a cinematographer, his credits include “Love, Sam”, “A Very Candid Game” and the feature “Grace”.
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Welcome to Filmi
Filmi 21! Virtual Edition
Filmi Toronto’s South Asian Film Festival Celebrating 21 Years!
December 27th, 2020
21st Filmi: Toronto’s South Asian film festival
|
Click here to Reply or Forward
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Filmi Shorts: The Meter Man of Le Moutrechon
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
CANADIAN PREMIERE
The Meter Man of Le Moutrechon
Directed by Ronnie Khalil
Length: 17:41 Minutes
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Cast: Supinder Wraich, Clayton Farris
Synopsis:
“The Meter Man of Le Moutrechon,” is a short film about a parking authority officer who’s an absolute stickler for rules and regulations. Soon, however, he comes across the face that launched a thousand parking tickets. She’s cute, she’s cool, she’s funny…but she’s a rule breaker! She always has loose change on her, but she doesn’t feed the meter, and she certainly doesn’t pay her parking tickets. Can she crack the armor that shields the meter man from fun and uncertainty? Or will the meter man’s discipline and devotion to law and order rule the day? Who will pay the ultimate price for all those parking tickets?
Director’s Bio: Ronnie Khalil is a producer, writer and director. He recently co-directed and co-wrote the feature film, You Can’t Kill Stephen King! a campy horror comedy set in Maine, which has garnered international attention, with numerous offers including the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan, Australia and South Korea.Ronnie was also commissioned to write the new feature film, “A to B,” set in Abu Dhabi and directed by the region’s premiere director, Ali F. Mostafa.
His film script Seducing Leyla was accepted to both the Cairo Film Festival and Dubai Film Festival as part of their film connections, as well as EAVE, one of the premiere European producer’s film workshop. Ronnie also served as a guest panelist at the Dubai Film Festival to discuss, “Comedy Across Cultures.”
He has been featured on ABC News, BBC, CNN, The World, NPR, FOX, the European News Channel, Air America, and Al Jazeera (in a good way), and has written articles for CNN.com and CollegeHumor.com.
In addition to his film accomplishments, Ronnie is co-Founder of The Middle Eastern Comedy Festival in Los Angeles and garnered national attention as the first comedian to perform in Cairo after Egypt’s revolution, joking about taboo subjects such as politics and sexual harassment.
Ronnie has performed with the Axis of Evil, Arabs Gone Wild, Sultans of Satire and taped two Friday Night Live Showtime Comedy specials in Dubai, including Minorities Rule and New World Order, as well as a stand-up show on Australia’s Comedy Channel and the new Sirius XM special, “Ronnie Khalil, Unveiled in Lebanon.”
In addition to stand-up, Ronnie earned his M.B.A. from the University of Miami, and lectured in colleges throughout the United States regarding success and motivation. His most popular lectures are Success through C.O.M.E.D.Y.and Networking: How to Avoid Really Hard Work. Prior to comedy, Ronnie worked as an account executive at one of South Florida’s largest public relations firms.
visit imdb
visit website at http://metermanmovie.wix.com/meterman
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Filmi Shorts: Shiva by Julie Brar
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
Toronto Premiere
SHIVA
Directed by Tony Dean Smith
Length: 5:00 Minutes
Year: 2013
Written by Julie Brar and Tony Dean Smith
Synopsis:
Based on Gandhi’s notion that an eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind, SHIVA explores the destructive cycle of violence in politics, religion and relationships. On the surface, Senator Gainsworth and Chantal Gainsworth are a picture perfect power couple. Yet underneath the successful facade, dark obsessions threaten to destroy their “happy”
marriage – culminating in a twist that brings new insight into Gandhi’s prophetic words.
Artist’s Bio:
Julie Brar was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. After high school she attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute to immerse herself into acting.After theatre school Ms. Brar made her home in Vancouver for several years. Her television credits include roles on Smallville, Search and Rescue and Fringe. Julie made her film debut in Chris Columbus’ Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Currently she can be seen in the highly successful Showtime/SyFy series Lost Girl. Besides acting Julie also enjoys producing and writing. She believes that there are many stories that have yet to make it to the stage or the screen. To that end she is doing her part to bring those stories to life. On the producing side Julie’s credits include John Patrick Shanley’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea last fall here in Toronto. She has written several projects up to this point – Shiva (short film), Om Sweet Om (web series) and her first successful one woman play in the Toronto Fringe this past summer – The Very Very Girl. Currently Julie is writing two new projects geared towards television- a half hour sitcom of Om Sweet Om and Jade- an original science fiction drama. She is also currently writing her first book.
When Julie is not dreaming up her next creative venture she can be found on her yoga mat, meditating in the woods or kicking butt in Muay Thai (her latest passion).
Currently Julie lives in Toronto with her vegan cat and roommate. Follow Julie on
Twitter @juliebrar.
Director’s Bio:
Director Tony Dean Smith
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Tony Dean Smith first fell in love with the camera at age 10, when he realized his love of drawing and storytelling could be twisted and turned into a motion picture sequence. At 19, he wrote and directed his first feature film, “The Other Side of Being.” Two days after wrapping he enrolled in film school where he turned heads with
his visual style, earning top grades as a cinematographer, editor, writer and director.
Tony’s passion for story and the moving image then brought him to the attention of the Directors’ Guild of Canada, where he received a “Kickstart” grant for what turned into his first 35mm short film, “Reflection.” The sensitive, thought provoking subject matter along his signature visual style allowed the film to play in festivals around the world. It earned 5 Leo
nominations for best picture, best director, best cinematography, and best performances.
Based on “Reflection’s” heart and style Tony was hired by multi-talented writer/director Jacob Medjuck to co-direct the coming of age comedy “Summerhood.” During this period Tony was also hired to direct his first national television show, CTV’s hit comedy series “Robson Arms.” After the success of his first episode, he was brought back for two more
episodes the following season. As a screenwriter Tony is the recipient of the Super Catalyst Screenwriter
Award for “The Sensational,” which he co-wrote with his frequent collaborator and creative partner Ryan W. Smith. Tony and Ryan have written on projects with Matt Salsberg, Sepia Films and Paperny Films. They have a number of projects in active development. As an editor Tonyhas cut his teeth on many television movies, features and music videosgarnering several awards.
Directed by Tony Dean Smith
Written by Julie Brar and Tony Dean Smith
Produced by Julie Brar and Ryan W. Smith
Cinematography by Lux
Music by John J. Kongos with original song by Mark Hildreth
Starring Frank Cassini, Lisa Stadnykova, and Julie Brar
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Filmi Short: The Change
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
THE CHANGE
Director: Sam Coyle
Length: 9:36 Minutes
Country: Canada
Year: 2013
Cast:
Supinder Wraich – http://www.swraich.com
Andy McQueen – http://vimeo.com/andymcqueen
Synopsis:
The Canadian Government is creating a perfect country. They have kicked out everyone who they believe doesn’t feed the economy, social norm, or can conform to their demands.
People from generation Y (20-30 year olds) have been resilient. They have created an underground society that the above world does not know about. They have been living under ground for the last year trying to devise a plan to uprise the Government. The film “The Change” takes place 10 minutes before they go above.
Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zr3qdXpm3A
Directors Bio:
Sam Coyle is a theatre trained actress. She studied in New York at the HB Studio. She has been producing films with her company FOUND Productions for thelast 3 years. This is Sam’s first debut as a director.
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Filmi Short: FILMI SHORT: FINDING TALIB BY SHAWN AHMED AND SCOTT LEAVER
Friday, September 27th, 2013
World Premiere
FINDING TALIB BY SHAWN AHMED AND SCOTT LEAVER
Finding Talib is the first of a series of comedic, ten minute shorts that explore the origins of religious extremism in a Western, middle-class man. Talib is a twenty-two-year-old, Caucasian man. As a baby he was adopted by parents who immigrated to Canada from Pakistan. Moderate Muslims, Talib’s parents have become worried that their adopted son’s beliefs are becoming too extreme and ask him to explore his past, hoping he will find new perspectives on religion and life. With his adopted brother Sid at his side,Talib sets off on a journey of self-discovery as he seeks out the family that gave him up for adoption and explores other faiths and lifestyles.
Shawn Ahmed (Director/Actor/Writer)
Finding Talib is Shawn Ahmed’s first crack at directing! He has been Acting, Writing and Producing in Toronto for over a decade. He was the co-creator of the popular sketch comedy troupe Fade to Brown. Within four years the troupe made it’s way onto dozens of stages across the GTA, including a sold out production of their sketch comedy musical, Brown Side Story, at The Panasonic Theatre. The comedy troupe went on to create a half-hour T.V. special that continues to air on OMNI TV. Shawn has received rave reviews for his supporting roles in the horror film Saw VI and the Emmy Award winning docu-drama,Flight 93. Shawn teamed up with his good friend Scott Leaver two years ago to form Crazy Shirt Productions. Their first project, a TV pilot titled Paranormal Investigators, is currently in development for a series.
Film and Television credits include: Saw VI, Flight 93, The Tracey Fragments, The Ron James Show, The Line, Unbury the Biscuit, Fade to Brown, Secret Miracle, Drone, The Method, Soul Food.
Follow him on twitter @actinghockey or view imdb
Scott Leaver (Actor/Writer)
A Dora Mavor Moore Award nominated actor, Scott has been working as an actor and writer across Ontario for the past six years. Scott’s most recent film work has included Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), Omni on the television and web seriesTeam Epic (PLP / BiteTV), appearances for SPACE CHANNEL, and on the series Ghostly Encounters. As a playwright,Scott has worked with several Canadian organizations including Next Stage Festival, Playwrights Workshop Montreal, Scriptlab of Canada and the Canadian Musical Theatre Festival. Scott is a graduate of Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts where he received his College Diploma in the Performing Arts. Scott co-founded Crazy Shirt Productions with Shawn Ahmed two years ago. Their first television pilot, a half-hour comedy titled Paranormal Investigators, is currently in development for a series.
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Filmi Shorts : COLD by Wasim Sheik
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
WORLD PREMIERE
COLD
Directed by Waseem Shaikh
People in Toronto just don’t smile at each other.
Yet, in a city notorious for being cold to strangers, several lives intersect one night, oblivious to the loneliness that connects them all.
On the surface, these disparate lives would never interact. Tonight, they will set each other’s lives in unexpected directions
Waseem Shaikh’s career has spanned the gamut across Theater, Radio, Television and Film. Born in Dubai, U.A.E, raised in South Africa, and settled in Toronto, Waseem’s mixed bag of experiences is what fuels his creativity. He’s currently the Multicultural Creative at MacLaren McCann, working on campaigns for the likes of General Motors and Coca Cola.
You’re most likely to remember him for his antics on his weekday show on Naach Radio, which amassed a weekly audience of over 40, 000 listeners from 2011 to 2013.
COLD is Waseem’s first film. He describes it as his bittersweet love letter to Toronto.
21st Filmi: Toronto's South Asian Film Festival 2021 
