Filmi 23!
Filmi Toronto’s South Asian Film Festival – 23 Years!
December 6th – 7th, 2025
Stay tuned for some great films!
21st Filmi: Toronto’s South Asian film festival
Harbourfront Centre
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0 Vishal
Director: Sumit Judge
Synopsis
Vishal, a 22-year old international student, finds himself in a dingy, crowded suburban basement, trying
to determine how he can balance work and school. Engrossed with his longing for home, and his inability
to confess to his mother the hardships he suffers daily, Vishal is persuaded by his roommate Sourav to
skip school and start work at an Indian restaurant. The chaos, and the workers remind of home, but also
foreshadow what life can and probably will be for the next few years. His conversation with Dev during a
delivery run disheartens him, as Dev’s comfort with living a life of limbo seems more normal than
unnatural. An incident at work further reaffirms the doubts he has of studying in Canada, away from
home.
Biographies
Sumit Judge, writer/co-director/actor
First-time filmmaker, incorporating his political science background with film to make works that
introduce the mainstream to issues previously neglected. An activist with a pen and a vision.
Ralph Ortega, co-director/producer
Graduated from Toronto Film School and currently working in children’s television production. All I
want to do in life is tell stories, and what better way to do that than through a collective medium that is
film.
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0 Besharam/Shameless
Besharam/Shameless
Synopsis-
Besharam ( bay.shar.um ) in South Asian languages means Shameless and it is used in a
negative way to describe someone who acts indecently by the way they dress, speak or
behave. That all changed 10 years ago when a group organized the biggest South Asian LGBT
party night in North America called Besharam. People from all backgrounds, ages and sexual
orientations come and express their true selves without worrying about being judged. The
connecting element for the party goers is Bollywood music. Besharam has become synonymous
with freedom of identity for South Asians living in Toronto, as it influences their lives greatly.
Director Pooja Joshi
Pooja graduated in Film and Communication in dual degree
program from York University and is currently finishing
Broadcast Television from Humber College. She has
professionally trained in Film Direction, OnCamera Acting
and Dramaturgy. She is a dedicated student of Film and
Television and a keenlyobservant student of life.
She staged plays as a playwright and an actor in Toronto
and Mumbai respectively.
Pooja is a natural performer intent on mastering her roles.
She played the lead in an Indo Canadian film which travelled
to various film festivals in North America including South
Asian International Film Festival in New York.
Her vast educational background gives her deep insight into
different aspects of Film and Broadcast TV from a television
control room to acting on camera or multiple camera
operation to audio and video editing, Pooja is comfortable in the creative as well as the technical
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0 Eclipse
Eclipse
World Premiere
http://www.eclipsefilm.ca
http://www.fenstarproductions.com
Directed by Gail Harvey
Written by Fenulla Jiwani
Starring: Ariana Shams, Sarah Mennell, Fenulla Jiwani, Michelle Fisk and
Jeff Clarke
Synopsis:
Single mom Vicky, in the last three years since adopting precious
Akasha from Cambodia, is still amazed by the miracles that
spontaneously unfold around her. Eight-year-old Akasha is the epitome
of pure love and wisdom; it doesn’t take any effort for her to spread love
to the most troubled soul, to shed light upon the darkest of thoughts and
to emanate joy wherever she goes. One sunny fall afternoon, three lives
are deeply touched by Akasha’s powerful presence and play.
Director Gail Harvey
Gail Harvey is an award-winning photographer and film director who has studied under Norman Jewison, Wim Wenders and Arthur Penn, and was the third woman ever hired as a staff photographer at United Press International wire service. Her most recent venture is a production company called STRAIGHT SHOOTERS – in partnership with her daughter, award-winning actress Katie Boland. Their first project in production is a documentary film about Rickie Lee Jones, entitled The Other Side of Desire. Harvey has also directed award winning television shows Heartland, Lost Girl, Republic of Doyle, Murdoch Mysteries, as well as directing all the episodes of the HBO series The Line, and two movies for Lifetime Network, Four Extraordinary Woman and Home by Christmas.
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0 PREJUDICE
PREJUDICE
Synopsi
s
Four individuals from different walks of life, a Caucasian Corporate Executive, a Hijab wearing
Persian Fashion Designer, a Chinese Dental Surgeon and an Indian Man with Body Art, share the
Prejudices that they hold and that they face in a modern Canadian society.
Original Music by
Kasper Franciszkiewicz
Produced by
Manpreet Brar & Sumira Dhawan
Concept, Edited & Directed by
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0 YARI ROAD – A SAMRAT CHAKRABARTI FILM
YARI ROAD
Friendship is all fun and games, until somebody bruises an ego.
SYNOPSIS:
YARI ROAD is a universal story that examines the fine line between friendship and competition
amidst the rat race of the entertainment industry.
Shot on Location in Mumbai, India.
Three friends, who all started their acting career working on the same film, are reunited for 24
hours. A lot has changed for each one of them since they had last met two years ago. One has
gone onto have a successful film career, one has left the acting field and one has become
extremely bitter about being a struggling actor. What starts out as a harmless reunion of friends,
quickly turns into a battle of egos with irreparable consequences.
SPECIAL NOTE:
One of the things that makes this film unique is the creative process of the way it was shot. The
three actors playing the characters did actually get their start working on the same film —
Joseph Matthew’s “Bombay Summer”, and the location where the film was shot is the actual
residence of two of the actors in Mumbai, India. All of the dialogue in the film is improvised.
CAST:
Samrat Chakrabarti, Gaurav Dwivedi and Jatin Goswami
CREW:
SUPPORTING CAST – Khatera Hakimi and Dhruv Mukherjee
EDITED BY – Rashmima Dutta
CINEMATOGRAPHER – Nikhil Arolkar and Anil Pingua
SYNC SOUND RECORDING – Binil Amakaddu
SOUND DESIGN – Krishnanunny K J
SOUND EDITOR – Shreyas Srinivas
STORY – Samrat Chakrabarti
TITLE AND CREDITS – Kamran Khan
http://www.LAUGHistan.com
PRODUCERS:
Samrat Chakrabarti and Hansdip Singh Bindra
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Hansdip Singh Bindra
LANGUAGE: English/Hindi (with English Subtitles)
LENGTH: 20 minutes
YEAR: 2015
COUNTRY: USA / India
OFFICIAL PAGE: http://www.laughistan.com/yari-road-short-film
TRAILER:
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0 CLOSING NIGHT FILM – Kirdaar – OCT.4th 6:30PM
FILMI 2015
WORLD PREMIERE
Kirdaar
Tickets on Sale NOW!
http://tinyurl.com/oc9f5eq
Diverging from the typical film opening, this story centres around the friendship between Nishawn: a struggling singer, and Josh: a struggling writer, both of whom are arduously pursuing their big break. As the plot unravels, it is clear that there is much more than meets the eye, with an air of mystery surrounding Nishawn’s story. The film awakens a genre that has not been confronted before in Punjabi cinema. Viewers will be left perplexed at what unfolds before their eyes. This is a poignant production about hope, ambition, friendship, love and the human condition. A film where all is not what it seems, leaving viewers mystified.
This film is also supported by the icon of punjabi cinema Harbhajan Mann Ji who needs no introductions. He makes his appearance in a very special and interesting role in this film, showing his support towards good literary and new ventures in Punjabi cinema.
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0 FILMI SHORTS 2015
FILMI 2015
SHORTS PROGRAM
Friday October 2nd, 2015
Carlton Cinema’s
HERE IS THE YEARS LINE UP
ALL FILMS ARE TORONTO PREMIERES
BUY TICKETS
Deadline Dawn
Lick
A Disappearance
Sun
Bonjour Ji
Vishal
Aloo Tikki
Onto Us
A Silent Treatment
Sudden Master
My Hot Mom Gandhi
Late
First Session
Preeti and Sweety’s Canadian Christmas
Eclipse
Grin F*&ckers
Dream
SHORTS AFTER PARTY at 30 Lounge in the Holiday Inn.
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0 Ydoc – Stressed
Stressed
Synopsis:
Stressed! is a short documentary on the struggles of South Asian children struggling with high expectations of parents. It incorporates exaggerated elements of a South Asian boy’s life who goes by Praveen. He stands in the cross-hairs of his dead mother’s dream of being a doctor and his father trying to fulfill her last wish.
Director’s Bio:
Ganan Vakeesan is a Grade 11 student at Middlefield Collegiate Institute in Markham. He has been enrolled in the Youth Leadership Program program for the past 2 years and this is his second year participating in YDocs Youth documentary movie making project conducted by Centre for Leadership and Innovation. Ganan aspires to enter a field in Engineering or Mathematics.
About Ydoc – 2014
YDocs-2014 youth festival hosted by CFLI was a huge success! 82 young members produced & screened 10 short documentary movies based on social issues.The event was held on July 25 at J&J Swagat Banquet Hall and attended by over 400 people.
Centre for Leadership and Innovation (CFLI)
Leaders aren’t born, they are nurtured and developed. This is the driving force behind Centre for Leadership and Innovation, which was launched in January 2012. CFLI was founded with the mission to build and promote leadership and innovation amongst Tamil Canadians and other multicultural communities. It is registered as a Non-Profit organization.
CFLI’s primary goal is to provide an inspiring and supportive environment that will help individuals become leaders. To achieve this goal, our focus is to provide a continuous learning environment through a holistic training approach, offering programs highlighted in the blocks above. These are the building blocks for developing future leaders.
Our longer term vision is to leverage the talents of our future leaders to form a Think-Tank, a leading edge policy institute that provides research and analysis on issues affecting Canadians.
http://www.cflicanada.ca
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0 Ydoc – This is my Life
This is My Life
Synopsis:
One of the most controversial celebrations in Hindu- Tamil culture is the puberty ceremony. When girls have their first period, there is a new meaning to life; to be wed and have children. Of course, that was why our ancestors in Sri Lanka and India had celebrated it, but do those roots still thrive today? This is My Life is an analysis of today’s reality.
Director’s Bio:
Born and raised in Canada, Roshan Naufal is a proud Tamil Canadian. Having grown in a very multicultural society and as a citizen of the GTA, Roshan has developed a deep love for understanding and learning about different world religions and cultures. He is a member of Youth Leadership Program conducted by Centre for Leadership and Innovation and grade 11 student in the IB program at Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy. This is My Life is Roshan’s first entry into movie making. He aspires to serve the community.
About Ydoc – 2014
YDocs-2014 youth festival hosted by CFLI was a huge success! 82 young members produced & screened 10 short documentary movies based on social issues.The event was held on July 25 at J&J Swagat Banquet Hall and attended by over 400 people.
Centre for Leadership and Innovation (CFLI)
Leaders aren’t born, they are nurtured and developed. This is the driving force behind Centre for Leadership and Innovation, which was launched in January 2012. CFLI was founded with the mission to build and promote leadership and innovation amongst Tamil Canadians and other multicultural communities. It is registered as a Non-Profit organization.
CFLI’s primary goal is to provide an inspiring and supportive environment that will help individuals become leaders. To achieve this goal, our focus is to provide a continuous learning environment through a holistic training approach, offering programs highlighted in the blocks above. These are the building blocks for developing future leaders.
Our longer term vision is to leverage the talents of our future leaders to form a Think-Tank, a leading edge policy institute that provides research and analysis on issues affecting Canadians.
http://www.cflicanada.ca
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0 First Time Filmmakers – A Panel Discussion
FlLMI Presents:
First Time Filmmakers – A Panel Discussion
Join FILMI as we will be showcasing filmmakers with various different backgrounds who were able to turn their amazing ideas into feature films/documentaries.
We have assembled an amazing panel who will be sharing their stories about the inspiration behind their pieces of work and how they went about seeking the resources to turn their ideas into reality.
The panel will be moderated by Nav Nanwa from Rogers TV and will involve the following Filmmakers:
Fenulla Jiwani – Writer/Producer/Actor of “Nobody” – https://filmifestival.org/2014/09/19/short-nobody/
Pam Sethi – Executive Producer of the documentary “After the Fall: Breath of Life” – http://vimeo.com/97332698
Shane Gill – Director of “Balbir the Barber” – https://filmifestival.org/2014/09/19/short-balbir-the-barber/
Manoj Amarnani – Director & Writer of the Feature Film “Life is Beautiful” –https://filmifestival.org/2014/09/17/feature-film-life-is-beautiful/
The event will be taking place at the Carlton Cinema on Sunday September 28th at 1:30pm. Admission is FREE! and will be a lead in to the FILMI documentary series.
For more information visit: www.filmi.org
Tickets: http://filmipanel.eventbrite.com
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0 FILMI MUSIC VIDEO – Baarish
Video Title: Baarish
Artist: Master-D feat. Drega
· Synopsis of the video:
The concept of the video is to depict deep emotional pain and to portray what someone feels like when a relationship is broken. The heartfelt distress of missing that loved one and to sooth it by crying with the rain and drowning your sorrows as the emotion heals with time and nature.·
Director:Amit Kehar (Gin and Tea Films)
Artist Biography:
Master-D is Canada’s multi-talent, platinum selling producer and artist from the successful pop group, The Bilz & Kashif. After touring the world and earning success with 3 albums, 3 international awards and amassing 20 million views worldwide, he’s ready to embark on a solo career. On his journey he’s out to represent Bengali music on a new level by taking folk Bangla lyrics and creating his signature sound that has led The Bilz & Kashif to international success.
Site:
Website: masterdonline.com
Facebook: facebook.com/masterdonline
Twitter: twitter.com/masterdonline
instagram: instagram.com/masterdonline
YouTube: youtube.com/bilzmusic
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0 SHORT: BLACKBOX SHADOW
BLACKBOX SHADOW
A FenStar Productions Film
World Premiere
Canada
Directed by Jonathan Dubsky
Written by Fenulla Jiwani
http://www.blackboxshadowfilm.com
http://www.fenstarproductions.com
Synopsis:
One evening, a blind and partially deaf flute player is scheduled
to play his transcending melodies, as five people from different
walks of life stumble into Samadhi Tea House for Ayurvedic tea
relief from their relationship struggles. They are unexpectedly
transported into a space of pure peace and clarity that their
hearts long for.
THE TEAM
Starring: Bobby Brown, Danya Nearon, Eileen Li, Fenulla Jiwani, Grant Roll,
Nahanni Johnstone and Randy Thomas
2014 FILMI’s Artist in Profile
Writer/Producer/Actor – Fenulla Jiwani
Fenulla Jiwani is an award winning actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer &
singer/songwriter. From humble beginnings her parents immigrated to Canada
from Uganda with just pennies in their pockets in hopes for a better life. Fenulla
was born in Toronto and her passion and desire for the performing arts began
with her first performance at the age of five in a ballet recital. She trained at
the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts and graduated in 2004. Since
graduating, Fenulla launched FenStar Productions to create compelling stories
that touch the human spirit, expressed through multidisciplinary mediums,
and cast ethnically diverse performers. Fenulla has written and performed
in six of her stage productions “Light of India,” “Bollywood Bonanza,” “The
Source,” “Qalam-e Ishq (Pen of Love),” “30 Dates” and “Paul and Priya’s
Wedding.” Her critically acclaimed production, “30 Dates,” toured Canada for
two years performing at renowned theatres and earned her accolades in major
magazines, newspapers & television. Fenulla is also a passionate singer/
songwriter; in 2012, she released an 18-track album, entitled “Divinity We Are
One” with performances in Canada, USA & India. Fenulla was recently honoured
as the recipient of the 2014 Cayle Chernin Award for her film, ‘NOBODY’. Her
second short, ‘Blackbox Shadow,’ is being shown in festivals internationally.
Fenulla has teamed up with award-winning Director of Film and Television, Gail
Harvey, for her third short entitled ‘Eclipse’ to shoot Fall 2014. She is also writing
a feature film.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2505245/
https://twitter.com/fenullafenstar
Director, Jonathan Dubsky
Jonathan Dubsky is an award winning director, actor, writer and cinematographer
from Montreal, now residing in Toronto. He found acting at a young age but
only started falling in love with the craft in his late teens. After graduating from
the Theatre program at John Abbott College and then continuing his studies in
Film Production at Concordia University in Montreal, Jonathan began working
both in front of and behind the camera professionally. As a filmmaker, Jonathan
has directed several short films, including “All For Davey”, which won ‘Best
Ensemble’ at the Toronto 48h Film Festival, “Mars Is Laughing at Us”, an official
selection at Reel World 2014, the feature length film “Les Epouvantails” and a
web series, “Cub3d” that received various media attention and press.
twitter.com/JonathanDubsky
IMDB: tinyurl.com/ohtdp3b
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0 SHORT: My Brother Karim
My Brother Karim
Director: Ashish Ravinran
Inspired by a true story, an international student and his mentor Karim hatch a plan to bomb the Federal Reserve building in New York City.
Ashish Ravinran is a filmmaker from Singapore currently based in New York City.
He completed his undergraduate degree in History at the University of Oxford and is currently pursuing a Masters in filmmaking at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
Starring: Samrat Chakrabarti, Fahim Hamid
Written, directed, edited: Ashish Ravinran
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0 SHORT: If you love your children
If you love your children
DIRECTOR: Sanjay Patel
Toronto Premiere
Synopsis:
Raj Camarta has it all, a great job, a beautiful wife, a comfortable home, but he is haunted by the
loss of innocent people in a natural disaster fueled by climate change. He begins a crusade to
educate the world and in so doing destroys his marriage, loses his home and his livelihood. Raj finds
his commitment to be stronger than his desires and ultimately rises above his losses to realize his
dream.
DIRECTOR:
Sanjay Patel
An engineer, author, and a passionate person about using film as a tool for social change, Sanjay’s one
of the goals for life is to educate, enlighten, and empower others. Sanjay is interested in exploring how
films can change attitudes, beliefs, and bring about individual and social change. Sanjay believes, if
used correctly, the films could be an extremely powerful tool. It can help us understand the world from
another’s viewpoint. They can make us aware of issues we would never see or experience in our own
lifetimes.
Sanjay made his debut as a director and producer with a film titled If You Love Your Children. It is an
award winning live-action short film (drama), about 22 minutes in length, and the purpose of the film is to
provide exposure on climate change – the single biggest threat facing humanity. When social issues such
as climate change is portrayed and humanized in a movie, viewers are left with a richer understanding of
what it must be like for victims of climate change.
Sanjay Patel, a chemical engineer by education, he has been working in the energy industry for the last
20 years. Sanjay enjoys reading and writing about our energy future and the environment, especially
issues related to climate change and he is author of “The Future of Oil” book.
Website: www.ifyouloveyourchildren.org
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/102982659
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0 SHORT: Alchemy
Alchemy
Director: Pranay Patwardhan
Synopsis:
A film about modern-day India. The lives of a billion people. Their story, their hopes, aspirations and transformations. A fine balance between inherent spirituality and India’s giant leap towards progress.
Director: Pranay Patwardhan
Creating quirky characters, telling stories and bringing ideas to life, excites me!
Pranay Patwardhan, a director and illustrator with love for art, food and sport.
Currently based in Shenzhen, China, I was born in Mumbai and grew up in Pune, India, with a fascinating childhood
filled with model cars, sci-fi films , video games and lego bricks. I studied animation from the ‘Maya Academy of
Advanced Cinematics (MAAC)’, before graduating from ‘Supinfocom, India’ as the valedictorian in May, 2012.
Combining cultural influences with modern technique whilst directing, designing and working on award winning TV
series, short films, music videos and visualizations has been a challenging and extremely fun filled experience. I
have had the opportunity of collaborating with many talented and amazing people, creating visual experiences that
have been warmly acknowledged by audiences around the world.
Eager to travel, I have been fortunate to experience various cultures, traditions and meet wonderful people. I hope
to continue this fabulous journey of discovery and tell unique stories along the way!
I would love to hear from you, so do feel free to get in touch.
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0 SHORT: Late Late
Late, Late (short)
Directed by Samrat Chakrabarti
USA, 2014, 13 minutes, Language English
Cast – Anmol Gupta & Lipica Shah
Trailer: http://youtu.be/yCxB8h86IOk
Synopsis: “Late Late” is both a love letter to New York and hate mail to its subway problems and traffic jams. When Amit and Laxmi meet in medical school in New York City, he falls head over heels for her. She’s beautiful, she’s brilliant, she’s going places! The only problem is her obsessive punctuality. To women like Laxmi, ten minutes late is ten minutes late. To guys like Amit, being ten minutes late is more or less like being on time. It’s late, but it’s not “late late.”
About the Director: Samrat Chakrabarti holds a MFA in Acting from the A.R.T/ Moscow Art Theatre School Program at Harvard University. As an actor, he has done dozens of Guest Stars and Recurring Roles on American TV shows, including: 30 Rock (NBC), In Treatment (HBO), Damages (FX), A Gifted Man (CBS), Bored To Death (HBO), Law and Order (NBC), The Sopranos (HBO) and All My Children (ABC). He has also been consistently working in films, both Hollywood and Independent, ranging from Spike Lee’s She Hate Me to Amyn Kaderali’s Kissing Cousins to Bruce Leddy’s The Wedding Weekend to Joseph Castelo’s The War Within (which was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award). He’s worked on many international projects, the list includes: Deepa Mehta’s film adaption of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children, Manish Acharya’s Loins of Punjab Presents (with legendary actress Shabana Azmi), Kabir Khan’s New York (produced by Yash Raj Films), Kamal Hasaan’s Vishwaroopam, Joseph Matthew’s Bombay Summer and Italo Spinelli’s Gangor (produced by RAI Cinema). Samrat is also an established international musician. He composed and co- created “BUMBUG The Musical” (FIRST Full Length Musical authored and produced by the Indian-American diaspora in New York City). He has directed several Music Videos & other projects. “LATE LATE” is his first Short Narrative Film.
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0 SHORT: Hechki
![[HECHKI] Film Still](https://filmifestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/hechki-film-still.jpg)
Hechki
Canadian Premiere
Director: Kartik Singh
Synopsis:
Shankar has recently arrived in New York City from Bangladesh. He makes a living selling roses. One day, he gets an incurable case of the hiccups…
![[HECHKI] Poster Large (1)](https://filmifestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/hechki-poster-large-1.jpg)
Director:
Kartik Singh (writer/director Bari)
Kartik Singh was born to Sikh parents who immigrated to Kansas City, USA from Hyderabad, India. After film studies at the Sorbonne, Kartik started making short films in Paris. An anecdote from his childhood in Middle America became the storyline for his most popular short film, Saving Mom and Dad. It showed in more than 100 festivals in 23 countries and won 16 awards. Kartik loves telling coming of age stories about unlikely encounters that can lead to strong human connections. In 2012, his screenplay Public School was invited to the Mumbai Mantra Sundance Screenwriting Lab. A start date for filming is still forthcoming. While waiting for this project to be greenlit, Kartik began writing Bari (Home), another story that has deep personal resonance for him.
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0 SHORT: Its about time
It’s About Time
Director: Omi Vaidya
Omi Vaidya is an American actor who is best known for his performance as Chatur Ramalingam or “The Silencer” in the 2009 Bollywood film, 3 Idiots. Vaidya has directed two short films and worked as an editor on others. He has also appeared in a number of television programs and commercials. ‘It’s about time’ makes its Toronto Premiere.
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0 SHORT: Ice Cream Wallah
ICE CREAM WALLAH
Director: Terrie Samundra
Canadian Premiere
Ice Cream Wallah trailer:
Synopsis of the film
Jessie, troubled & pissed, has just lost her father to suicide. That’s when she meets his boyfriend, Sean.
Director’s:
Terrie Samundra is a multi-cultural filmmaker who grew up between a rural village in India, a small farming town in Missouri, and along the coast of California. She is a 2013 Sundance Institute Mumbai Mantra Lab Fellow for her screenplay ‘Betamax,’ co-written with David Walter Lech.
Terrie Samundra is the Director of the short films ‘Ice Cream Wallah,’ ‘Kunjo,’ and ‘A Short Tale of Xuan,’ which have screened internationally and garnered many awards including Best Short at Athens International and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.
With her writing partner, David Walter Lech, she is co-authoring the trilogy of screenplays known as ‘The Ballad of Pooja.’ She is a Princess Grace Award recipient, a National Geographic All Roads Seed Grant recipient, and was the Head Programmer of the 2013 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.
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0 SHORT: The Time Traveler
The Time Traveller
Directed by: RT!
Written by: RT! & Huse Madhavji
Produced by: Stephanie Hooker, RT! & Huse Madhavji
Starring: Huse Madhavji & Emmanuel Kabongo
Synopsis:
A man suffering from amnesia after a traumatic experience in Mumbai rebuilds his life as a convenient store owner. His new found peace is threatened when fate unexpectedly brings a close relationship back from his past.
Director:
Director/Writer RT! is the most celebrated music video director in Canada with 13 international awards under his belt, including the MMVA “Director of the Year” for 2 consecutive years. This year marked his transition into the world of television when he was selected to Direct four episodes of Degrassi. Additionally “Alive” a featurette RT! wrote and directed for Much Music was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award. RT! stays active in the film community by working as a mentor for the City Life Program.
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0 SHORT: Downsizing
DOWNSIZING
World Premiere
Directed by: Vaibhav Parashar and Peter Tsaconas.
Synopsis:
When four unsuspected employees randomly get an invitation to a private seminar, with one of the wealthiest businessmen in town, they jump on the opportunity. With absolutely zero knowledge on what to expect, they gather their best attire, and wait for a chauffeur to be picked up. When they arrive at the destination, everything turns for theworst as they find themselves trapped with nowhere to go. It’s a story that displays what uncertainty, perseverance, and a little bit of luck could do for that one employee who willmake it out alive. Three must die, one will survive in DOWNSIZING.
Director: Vaibhav Parashar’s
Vaibhav began his artistic journey as a theatre professional with the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi. After working in 75 plays, he ventured to Mumbai, Bollywood’s capital, and spent the next ten years honing his dance IQ under the guidance of Shiamak Davar, one of the world’s leading choreographers. At present, he’s making films that matter, and hopes to bring a change in the society through the medium of film making. As a Director and filmmaker, Vaibhav says that he’s equally at home behind the camera, just as he’s on the stage moving to the pulsating rhythm of music.
Director: Peter Tsaconas:
A first time film maker, Peter Tsaconas has had such apassion for film ever since his childhood. Having a deep knowledge on the history of film he finally decided to enter into the world of directing. His first short “Downsizing” took an incredibly unique concept and went from paper to screen very quickly. He only dares to dream what can come from the many ideas that circle his mind at any points in the day and spring onto
Instagram: @rtfilms_ : Running Tiger Films
Instagram: @teampremsingh : Prem Singh
Instagram: @yaarentertainment : Yaar Entertainment
Instagram: @teammjp : Michael Pugliese
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0 SHORT: FADE OUT
Synopsis
Fade Out is a short film about an aging actress, who is desperately trying to keep herself together on the night of her movie premiere. Feeling suffocated by crazed fans, overbearing photographers and pushy managers, the experience quickly takes an absurd turn. The Actress begins to lose her grip on reality, and is unable to distinguish between what is real and what is fantasy. It is not until she is alone in the privacy of her home, that the Actress is finally able to remove her facade and escape the torments of her mind into silence.
Director
As a professional actress for almost a decade, I wanted to create a film that touched on themes like age, beauty and celebrity. But in the end it was the exploration of fantasy versus reality that I was most drawn to. Reality is subjective. Our perceptions of ourselves and of the world are just as valid as the experiences we live. The actress is our touchstone who is adored and supported but who’s own insecurities keep her from truly enjoying the one thing she has dreamt to attain her whole life.
Agam Darshi : Director, Writer
Agam Darshi is a busy Canadian actress and filmmaker originally from Vancouver, BC and currently based in Los Angeles, CA.
Agam was born in England and raised all over Canada. She attended the University of Calgary where she graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts and Theatre, and then went on to complete the Film Arts program at Langara College with a focus in screenwriting. The last film she wrote and produced was entitled Bollywood Beckons (2008), which went on to tour the festival with great success. Fade Out is Agam’s directorial debut.
Agam Darshi also co-founded Western Canada’s very first International South Asian Film Festival (VISAFF). Currently in it’s fourth year, the festival focuses on ‘bridging the gap’ between South Asian talent and mainstream audiences, by breaking stereotypes and expanding North American views on the artists within the culture.
As an actress, Agam is recently spent time in Toronto playing Khali Bhatt in the CTV series Played, for which she was nominated for a Leo Award for best supporting actress. Agam is also known for her role as Kate Freelander, in Sanctuary (Syfy/Space) for which she was nominated for 2 Constellation Awards. Agam was also a series lead in season 1 of Dan for Mayor (CTV) for which she earned a Canadian Comedy Award nomination for best ensemble. She played Aparna in the mega blockbuster hit 2012, and Saphira the Canadian indie Excited, directed by Bruce Sweeney for which is nominated for a LEO award for best supporting actress. Agam also completed a lead in the NBC pilot County, created by Emmy Award winner Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights), as well a lead in Bruce Sweeney’s Crimes of Mike Recket which premiered at TIFF 2012, and for which she won a Leo Award.
23rd Filmi: Toronto's South Asian Film Festival Dec 6-7 2025 