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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Category: Short Films
0 Mister and Missus
0 Fare Trade, Episode Three: ISO A Super Miracle
Synopsis
Fare Trade follows the misadventures of Cleo, Vic, and Janet, three self-absorbed millennials who no longer believe in money. They don’t want to make it, they don’t want to spend it. Getting by in the big city with no cash lands them in a world of crooked cops, superheroes, and zombies that want to make love. They barter, they cheat, they steal, and they scheme. Oh, how they will scheme.
Entire series available at: bunzlife.com
Socials
Facebook: @FareTradeShow
Instagram:@FareTradeShow
Twitter: @FareTradeShow
Shawn Ahmed
co-writer/co- director/co-producer
Shawn Ahmed is an award-winning writer and actor based out of Toronto. Before co-
founding Crazy Shirt Productions, Shawn was a founding member of the critically –
acclaimed sketch troupe Fade to Brown, where he wrote, acted, and directed. The
troupe’s 4 year tenure was highlighted by a 22-minute special for OMNI Television.
He also directed Finding Talib which premiered at the South Asian Film Festival. As an
actor, Shawn’s work has been seen around the world both on stage and screen.
Notable Film and TV credits include: The Expanse (SyFy); Slasher (Chiller TV); Saw VI (Lionsgate); Designated Survivor (ABC); Orphan Black (BBC America); Private Eyes (Global); MsLabelled (Slice TV); Max and Shred (Nickelodeon); Flight 93 (A&E); Rogue (Direct TV);
Odd Squad (Sinking Ship); The Other Kingdom (Epitome Pictures). Theatre credits
include: Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Bash’d); And Slowly Beauty… (Tarragon Theatre);
Romeo and (Her) Juliet (Dauntless Theatre); Macbeth (Driftwood Theatre); A Really
Bad Play (Funny Face Productions); as well as Comedy of Errors, Revolutionary
Moments, and More Words! More Play! with the historic Shakespeare & Company in
Lenox, Massachusetts.
I’ve had so much fun stepping behind the camera and working with this power-house
team. I hope audiences enjoy Fare Trade as much as we’ve enjoyed making it. What a
ride!
Scott Leaver
co-writer/co-director/co-producer
Scott grew up in the Niagara Region and graduated from Laura Secord Secondary School in St. Catharines. An award-winning actor and screenwriter, Scott has been working across Ontario for over a decade on and off-camera and on stage. Aside from co-founding Crazy Shirt Productions, some of Scott’s film work includes Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), Omni on the television and web series Team 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. As a stage actor he is proud to have been part of a Dora Mavor Moore Award winning production and been part of a threesome nominated for Outstanding Performance. Scott is a graduate of Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts where he received his College Diploma in the Performing Arts.
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0 Ruby’s Tuesday
Ruby’s Tuesday
Canadian Premiere
Running TIme: 11:37
It’s Tuesday. It’s also Ruby’s Birthday… And even though she’s the only one who remembered, she’s determined to make it a day she never forgets.
Director:
Supinder Wraich is an award winning actor for her role in ‘Guidestones’. This is her third short that she has directed.
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0 The Pits
Premiere Status: Canadian premiere
Title of the Film: The Pits
Country of Origin: Canada
Year of Production: 2017
Running Time in minutes: 6:23
Synopsis: At 13, Dhruvi is appalled to learn the Indian food she eats every day makes her armpits smell funny. Her struggle with pungent food and bold spices resurfaces years later, when she’s drawn to a fellow South Asian student in university.
Director: Shetu Modi
Bio: Shetu Modi is a writer, director and editor based in Toronto. Shetu’s online documentary Drape, Tuck, Pleat was featured by Brown Girl Magazine. Her first narrative short, Hot Air, screened at festivals in Toronto and Los Angeles. She currently works at the Canadian Press as a video producer and editor.
Cast names:
Noor Dhanda
Akhil Nair
Saaniya Saraf
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0 Poser
Synopsis
The best part of his day is when he leaves his corporate job and stops to watch the skateboarders on his way home. The sight takes him back to high school, where, as new immigrant, he proudly used to walk around strutting his skateboard – his new North American persona – until he was bullied into giving up his passion.
As he remembers the bullying, he remembers feeling a lack of belonging and frustration with not being able to enjoy skating because he didn’t fit the “look”. Once again, he turns away. Then one day, life offers him another chance.
Director: Seth Mohan
In January 2016 I started making YouTube videos. The goal was simple, as an actor and aspiring film maker I wanted to learn the craft of shooting and editing videos. I have always enjoyed writing but did not have the technical know-how to execute my ideas and bring them to life.
To change that, I gave myself the goal of publishing one video a week for 2016. This goal is the reason I was able to make my vision a reality.
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0 Blind Faith
Blind Faith
Running Time 9:24
Synopsis:
Aalia is left humiliated after a driver yells out racist comments while she is crossing the street. Later at a New Year’s Eve gathering, she meets a new friend. Unaware to Aalia, or her new friend for that matter, is that her new friend is the same person who made racial comments earlier that the day.
Director:
Rividu Mendis was born April 15th, 1998 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. At just 3 weeks old he made the flight to Canada. At the age of 13, he began working as a DJ and started developing a passion towards performing. By the age of 15, he and his cousin founded their company Ace Entertainment. Today Ace Entertainment caters live DJs and photographers as well as produce films and music. In 2013 Rividu Mendis became a represented actor with Glickman Alexander Talent Management. He is now an ACTRA member. In 2016 he enrolled at York University for film production and aspires to keep working towards his dreams.
Website: www.aceentertainment.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AceEntertainmentCA
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0 More than Just Friends
More than Just Friends
Toronto Premiere
Running Time: 12 Minutes
Synopsis:
Upon spending the last moments of his life as an international student in Canada, Shaan realizes that he has always been in love with his best friend Aida. The story is about his struggle to decide whether he should express his feelings and jeopardize their friendship.
Director: Zafir Ahmed:
Born and raised in Bangladesh, Zafir pursued his undergraduate in Computer Science at the University of Minnesota and later University of Western Ontario. Soon thereafter, he realized his passion lied in filmmaking and chose to complete a diploma in Film Production at Toronto Film School. Having lived in several different parts of the world and experiencing multiple cultures, Zafir believes film is a medium that brings people closer together and seeks to bring that experience and belief to life.
Website: http://nrwfilms.com
http://www.facebook.com/nrwfilms
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0 Days of Winter
Days of Winter
Synopsis: Sameer and Josephine have been friends as long as they can remember…but being forced to grown-up, has a large impact, due to their cultural backgrounds.
Director: Ash Varma
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0 Brown Guys Do – Pirates
Toronto Premiere
Brown Guys Do – Pirates
Directed By Maninder Chana
Length: 6:44
Country:
Synopsis:
Back in the early 2000s, there was a comedy troupe named Mixed Nuts. It played sold out shows and garnered rave reviews. What was unique about the troupe was that it featured a very multicultural cast that did every accent or character under the sun. The goal was to push minorities (South Asian) into the mainstream. It’s obviously happened in the interim, but one thing that has remained missing is showcasing the ability to do voices beyond East Indian, Arabic (thanks for all the wonderful terrorist roles btw) or regular North American. That’s where “Brown Guys Do” steps in. It shows that people of colour have a range of talent to do accents and characters beyond those typically associated with their race or background.
Directors Bio:
An award-winning writer, director, producer and actor, Maninder Chana was the driving force behind the Comedy Troupe Mixed Nuts. The comedy troupe sold out shows and garnered accolades for its cutting edge humor. His career quickly moved to television and film. Maninder Chana is the writer of the feature film ‘Cell 213’ and Director and Writer ‘Little Terrors’. Maninder latest work ‘Brown Guys Do’ is a series on the web in which he Directed, Wrote and Acted.
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0 Blindfold
BlindFold
Toronto Premiere
Running Time. 3:15
Synopsis
As the acolytes gather, a young prisoner journeys from blindness to truth
hyper.bolic films presents an experimental short by Slander.
Official Selection London Experimental 2017
starring
Julien Deane
Synn
The York Men’s Costume Club
Music
[re] Group
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0 SHORT: KUSH
OPENING NIGHT
Thursday, September 25th, 2014 @6:30PM
KUSH
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Synopsis:
Inspired by a true story: In 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards, causing anti-Sikh riots to erupt throughout the country. A teacher travelling back from a field trip with her class of 10-year-old students struggles to protect Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, from the growing violence around him.
Trailer: http://vimeo.com/72219759
Shubhashish Bhutiani is a director and actor, known for Kush (2013), The Star (2012) and The Road Home (2010).
Kush won the Satyajit Ray Film Foundation Prize for Best Short Film at the London INDIAN Film Festival
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0 Filmi Shorts : Brown Guys Do – 1.05 Simon & Garfunkel – World Premiere
Friday, September 27th, 2013
World Premiere
Brown Guys Do – 1.05 Simon & Garfunkel (Web Series)
Directed By Maninder Chana
Length: 4:22
Country: Canada
Synopsis:
Back in the early 2000s, there was a comedy troupe named Mixed Nuts. It played sold out shows and garnered rave reviews. What was unique about the troupe was that it featured a very multicultural cast that did every accent or character under the sun. The goal was to push minorities (South Asian) into the mainstream. It’s obviously happened in the interim, but one thing that has remained missing is showcasing the ability to do voices beyond East Indian, Arabic (thanks for all the wonderful terrorist roles btw) or regular North American. That’s where “Brown Guys Do” steps in. It shows that people of colour have a range of talent to do accents and characters beyond those typically associated with their race or background.
Directors Bio:
An award-winning writer, director, producer and actor, Maninder Chana was the driving force behind the Comedy Troupe Mixed Nuts. The comedy troupe sold out shows and garnered accolades for its cutting edge humor. His career quickly moved to television and film. Maninder Chana is the writer of the feature film ‘Cell 213’ and Director and Writer ‘Little Terrors’. Maninder latest work ‘Brown Guys Do’ is a series on the web in which he Directed, Wrote and Acted.
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Filmi Music Video: Des Mera Pardes Hua by Anuj Rastogi
Friday, September 27th, 2013 @ 6:30
World Premiere
“Des Mera Pardes Hua” (Official Music Video)
Directed By: Ozmosys Productions
Producers: Anuj Rastogi & Falitaa Chhabra
Length: 5:30
Country: Canada
Synopsis:
The film’s title track “Des Mera Pardes Hua” is a high-energy Rock-infused take on the film’s journey. Directed and edited by Ozmosys Productions, run by Falitaa Chhabra & Anuj Rastogi, the music video features a montage of well timed footage from the motion picture, and original ‘behind the scenes’ footage. This approach provides a look into the process of making of this wonderful score and title song. The video includes vocalist, Shirsha Chakraborty, and guitarist, Vivek Nankissoor, along with studio footage during Anuj Rastogi’s writing, recording, and mixing sessions. Moreover, the dynamic city of Toronto plays a significant role in the music video, as it does in the film.
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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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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.
21st Filmi: Toronto's South Asian Film Festival 2021 
