Private Project

Strong Son

An endearing portrait of a South Asian father as he attempts to give life and marital advice to his bodybuilding and image-obsessed son.

This deeply touching, comedic short film is an autobiographical piece that stars the director's own father, Jagdeep Singh Bawa.

  • Ian Bawa
    Director
  • Ian Bawa
    Writer
  • Ian Bawa
    Producer
  • Jagdeep Singh Bawa
    Key Cast
    "Father"
  • Mandeep Sodhi
    Key Cast
    "Son"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 12 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 31, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    30 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    8mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Toronto International Film Festival 2020
    Toronto
    Canada
    September 14, 2020
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Vancouver International Film Festival 2020
    Vancouver
    Canada
    September 26, 2020
    Official Selection
  • South Western International Film Festival 2020
    Toronto
    Canada
    November 19, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Aspen ShortsFest 2021
    Aspen, Colorado
    United States
    April 6, 2021
    International Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Flatpack Festival 2021
    Birmingham
    United Kingdom
    May 21, 2021
    United Kingdom Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Internationale Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg 2021
    Rebensburg
    Germany
    June 2, 2021
    Europe Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Brooklyn Film Festival 2021
    Brooklyn
    United States
    June 5, 2021
    New York Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Norwegian Short Film Festival 2021
    Grimstad
    Norway
    June 9, 2021
    Norway Premiere
    Official Selection
  • FascinAsian Film Festival 2021
    Winnipeg
    Canada
    May 29, 2021
    Western Canada Premiere
    Official Selection
  • International Film Festival of South Asia 2021
    Toronto
    Canada
    August 12, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Gimli Film Festival 2021
    Gimli
    Canada
    July 19, 2021
    Manitoba Premiere
    Official Selection
  • HollyShorts Film Festival 2021
    Los Angeles
    United States
    September 23, 2021
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Official Selection, Winner of the Kodak's Super 8 - Shot on Film Award
  • Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival 2021
    Rhode Island
    United States
    August 9, 2021
    New England Premiere
    Official Selection
  • FIN Atlantic International Film Festival 2021
    Halifax
    Canada
    September 21, 2021
    East Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Bolton Film Festival 2021
    Bolton
    United Kingdom
    October 6, 2021
    UK Premiere
    Official Selection
  • South Asian Film Festival of Orlando 2021
    Orlando
    United States
    October 2, 2021
    Florida Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Indie Street Film Festival 2021
    New Jersey
    United States
    September 8, 2021
    New Jersey Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2021
    Toronto
    Canada
    November 10, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Shnit Worldwide Short Film Festival 2021
    Buenos Aires
    Argentina
    October 21, 2021
    Argentina Premiere
    Official Selection
  • New Orleans Film Festival 2021
    New Orleans
    United States
    November 5, 2021
    Louisiana Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival 2021
    Vancouver
    Canada
    November 11, 2021
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Ouat Media
    Sales Agent
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Ian Bawa

In 2007, Ian Bawa, a born and raised Winnipegger, switched paths in becoming a lawyer to pursue career in filmmaking. As a graduate of the University of Winnipeg Film program, Ian’s bachelor film ‘Offline’ (a co-production between University of Winnipeg and multiple German Art Universities) was met with great success and toured around the world, winning at festivals such as Yorkton Film Festival and Fargo Film Festival.

Ian’s film career started out interning with FilmTraining Manitoba in the lighting department and working in every department a set (both big and small) can offer from there. This allowed Ian to learn, appreciate, and understand every aspect of filmmaking and become a Swiss army knife of skills and knowledge when producing on and off set.  

Since then, Ian has produced, directed, and worked on a number of features, short films, documentaries, music videos, and a variety of other projects. His past work has won him many accolades and recognition locally and around the world, and has been written about in publications such as Ain't it Cool News, The AV Club, and was awarded a Vimeo Staff Pick for his film ‘The Champ’.  

His film, ‘Imitations’, premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival with great acclaim, and toured globally from there, playing at festivals such as Vancouver International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, and many others. Ian’s film, ‘Tapeworm’, premiered recently at this years 2019 Vancouver International Film Festival and 2020 SlamDance Film Festival.

His latest film ‘Strong Son’ will premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and Vancouver International Film Festival.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Strong Son is a personal film about my insecurities in life, my struggle to uphold cultural traditions, and my relationship with my father. The film stars my actual father, Jagdeep Singh Bawa, and Mandeep Sodhi, a bodybuilder from India, who is essentially playing an extreme version of myself.

As a overweight child, I was body shamed with passive comments from my father which, as I got older, caused me to become quite obsessed with exercise, health, and working out. In addition to this, as I have gotten older, my father’s health has dwindled to the point that I have become his full time provider, enabling me to see a future of what could happen if I do not take care of myself.

Finally, the film deals with the idea that as millennials our parents are getting older, and there will be a point where we need to take care of them, and how emotionally and physically hard that will be when or if that day comes. Such is why our lead character (the son) needs to be ‘strong’.